CEBU, Philippines - The Regional Trial Court ordered for the transfer of former policeman Adonis Dumpit from Cebu City Jail to New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City to finish his sentence.
In a one-page order dated March 18, 2015, RTC Judge Ester Veloso of Branch 6 directed Dumpit to be committed to the national penitentiary to serve his remaining sentence. He already served four years at the Cebu City Jail.
Dumpit was charged for killing Ronron Go, a 17-year-old alleged notorious robber, on December 14, 2004 in Sitio Sampaguita, Villagonzalo II, Barangay Tejero, Cebu City.
On August 5, 2014, Dumpit was convicted for homicide and was sentenced to imprisonment from six years to nine years and four months.
He was originally charged with murder. However, the court downgraded the case to homicide for the failure of the prosecution to prove that there was intent to kill.
“Considering that the prosecution was not able to prove the aggravating circumstances of treachery and abuse of superior strength, the accused should only be held criminally liable for the crime of homicide,” the judgment read.
Veloso ordered Dumpit to pay the heirs of Go P50,000.
The Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for the Military and Other Law Enforcement Office filed the murder case against Dumpit in 2006.
The Ombudsman said Dumpit acted with treachery and took advantage of his superior strength when he deliberately killed the teenager, who was then unarmed.
However, this was denied by Dumpit, adding he was merely performing his job when Go’s victims, Kimberly Corro and her mother, asked for his help.
Claiming self-defense, Dumpit alleged that on Dec. 14, 2004, he merely returned fire after the group of Go pulled out a gun and fired two successive shots at him. He said he could not determine if Go was hit because he was running.
The camp of Dumpit asked for the reversal of the court’s ruling. However, Veloso on January 12, 2015 denied their motion for reconsideration, saying the court finds no compelling reasons to reconsider its decision.
Lawyer Benjamin Militar, one of the counsels of Dumpit, said he has yet to receive a copy of the commitment order. — (FREEMAN)