Three indicted on “mauled” shopper’s death

CEBU, Philippines - Finding probable cause, the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office has recommended the filing of murder case before the court against former security personnel of a downtown Cebu City department store.

In a resolution penned by Assistant City Prosecutor Anna Lou Cavada, the fiscal’s office found sufficient evidence to bring to trial Mauricio Doblados, 30, of 48 B. Gil Tudtud St., Mabolo, Cebu City; Jeffrey Aquino, 31, of 02-A, B. Rodriguez St., Sambag II, Cebu City; and Melvin Boyles of St. Luke St., Don Bosco Village, Barangay Punta, Cebu City, over the death of Mario Alfie Ducayag.

 â€œWe are one step closer to justice,” Marie Shantylle, Ducayag’s sister, told The FREEMAN.  She said their family is happy with the development.

Murder is a non-bailable offense.

The case stemmed from a criminal complaint filed against the three men for allegedly mauling to death Ducayag, a 23-year-old resident of Tuyan, Naga City, Cebu.

Last April 12, Doblados, Aquino, and Boyles accosted Ducayag, supposedly for shoplifting.  They brought him to the store’s investigation room at 1:55 p.m., as reflected in the establishment’s closed-circuit television (CCTV).

Based on the investigation by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)-7, Ducayag was found unconscious and no longer breathing by a responding Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation team an hour after he was brought inside the investigation room.

Ducayag was rushed to the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) but was declared dead on arrival by the attending physician at 3:30 p.m.

The NBI-7 joined in the case because Ducayag’s mother, Fe Soledad, requested for a re-autopsy and re-investigation after PNP Medico-legal Officer Nestor Sator stated in his autopsy report that the victim died of tuberculosis.

Soledad and Marie Shantylle had said Ducayag was not suffering from tuberculosis.

Dr. Rene Cam, NBI-7 medico-legal officer, said cause of death was actually traumatic injury to the neck, contrary to Sator’s findings.  — (FREEMAN)