Court convicts man who killed neighbor

CEBU, Philippines - A Talisay City, Cebu resident was convicted by the Regional Trial Court for allegedly killing his neighbor in 2011.

Judge Soliver Peras of Branch 10 found sufficient ground to convict Lloyd Mangubat for murder over the shooting to death of Mark Jason Taberos.

“The defense failed to present any proof that the prosecution witnesses acted with bad faith, revenge, hatred or ill-motive to frame up the accused of a crime which he did not commit,” the decision read.

Peras sentenced Mangubat to suffer the penalty of imprisonment from 20 to 40 years and a fine of P75,000 for shooting to death Taberos on August 8, 2011 in Barangay Lawaan, Talisay City.

Prosecution witness Anilyn Magdadaro alleged that on the said date, the victim and his friends were drinking outside their house when Mangubat suddenly entered and hid inside the toilet.

Later, Magdadaro said, another man arrived and looked for Mangubat.

Some 30 minutes later, Magdadaro said she heard two gunshots. She checked what happened and saw Taberos lying on the ground with a gunshot wound to his body.

Mangubat has denied killing the victim. He claimed that after his arrest, he was brought to the police station where he was forced to own up to the crime.

Mangubat’s live-in partner, Geramie, corroborated her spouse’s claim, alleging that on the said date, both of them were at the store of her grandmother in Barangay Lawaan III then went home.

Peras, however, ruled in favor of the prosecution, stating that the evidence warrants the suspect’s conviction.

Witnesses, Peras ruled, have identified the suspect as the same person who argued with Taberos before the latter was killed.

“It is the observation of this court that the prosecution was able to prove the elements of the crime of murder,” Peras’ decision stated. — (FREEMAN)