Man gets 8 years for stabbing neighbor to death

CEBU, Philippines - The Regional Trial Court sentenced a man to at least eight years imprisonment for killing his neighbor almost eight years ago.

RTC Judge Generosa Labra also ordered David Luchavez to pay P50,000 to the heirs of the victim, Reynaldo Quijano, as civil indemnity.   Labra found Luchavez guilty of homicide.

The victim’s son, Raniel, testified in court that afternoon on October 12, 2003, he fetched his father who was drinking with their neighbors at that time. When they were already at their house, the respondent reportedly came, slapped the wall, and told Quijano that he did not want to be reprimanded.

Quijano’s wife told Luchavez to go home, but the respondent just stood still and stared at the victim. This reportedly prompted Quijano to hit the suspect on the buttocks with a stick to shoo him away.

About 30 minutes later, Luchavez went back to Quijano’s house and stabbed Luchavez with a knife.

Prosecution witness Edwin Castillo said he saw Luchavez and Quijano quarrel and later saw Luchavez stab Quijano.  

In his testimony, Luchavez denied having stabbed Quijano and said it was the victim who allegedly attacked him. He said he was simply passing by Quijano’s house and greeted the latter a good evening to which Quijano reportedly replied there was nothing good with the night because his pitcher was empty. Upon saying this, Quijano allegedly slapped him with the pitcher but he was lucky enough to elude.

Luchavez also alleged that Quijano even got a piece of wood and hit him on the face. When he reportedly saw Quijano getting a knife, he threw a wood to the victim and reportedly tried to grab the knife but failed. Luchavez said he even fell into a creek when he was stepping backwards to avoid the knife.

But Labra found more Castillo’s testimony as an eyewitness.

“The testimony of said witness deserves credence as no evidence was adduced to show that he had ill motive to falsely testify against the accused,” Labra said. — (FREEMAN)