Regional Trial Court Judge Ramon Codilla Jr. yesterday convicted a man tagged in the killing of a suspected rugby boy in barangay Sawang Calero five years ago.
Codilla rejected the defense of Elmer Alolor that he was acting in self-defense when he stabbed to death Dennis Escaran on June 21, 2003, and sentenced him to two years and four months imprisonment.
During the trial of the case, Alolor even showed to the court the healed wound in his chest that he reportedly sustained when Escaran stabbed him during their fistfight.
Alolor claimed that he pulled out the knife that was embedded on his chest and used it to stab the stomach of Escaran, who died before reaching the hospital.
However, Codilla ruled that Alolor has failed to prove that his killing of Escaran was accidental as it was done in self-defense.
The records of the case showed that Alolor and Escaran were friends but had misunderstanding that resulted to a fistfight.
“After a careful and judicious assessment of the evidence at hand, the court finds the defense of self-defense is not available to the accused. For self defense to prosper, it must be established by clear and convincing evidence,” Codilla said. Aside from the jail term, Alolor was also ordered by the court to indemnify the relatives of Escaran in the amount of P64,500. — Rene U. Borromeo/LPM