Man sentenced to 40 years in prison for stabbing to death a mason

A Pasay City Regional Trial Court (RTC) has sentenced to 40 years in prison a man for stabbing to death a mason worker almost a year ago.

Gary Vergara, was convicted along with his accomplice, Joseph Inocencio for the death of 37-year-old Miguelito Alfante during a Feb. 11, 2001 stabbing incident.

Judge Eleuterio Guerrero of Pasay City RTC Branch 116 in sentencing Vergara and Inocencio to reclusion perpertua and reclusion temporal, respectively, also ordered them to pay the heirs of the victim some P1.3 million in damages. Inocencio’s sentence carries a prison term of 14 years for aiding Vergara in the killing.

Based on the records of the case, Alfante sustained eight stab wounds during his encounter with Vergara and Inocencio at the corner of Colayco and Decena streets about 2 a.m. in Pasay City last Feb. 11. The two accused had been bullying each other while traversing a corner at the time when a drunk Alfonte passed by.

Based on the testimony of witnesses, Vergara simply approached the victim and teased him for being "high" on drugs. When the mason worker responded saying "Anong pakialam mo! (It’s none of your business)", Vergara reportedly took the knife handed by Inocencio and stabbed the victim. The two suspect’s then reportedly walked away and brandished their knives at other persons in the area who tried to give chase.

Vergara later surrendered to the Manila police in his Sta. Ana, Manila residence while Inocencio was arrested in his home in Pasay City. The two claimed self-defense, claiming that they were just on their way to buy salted eggs when they encountered Alfante on the Pasay street corner with the latter’s gang. Vergara said Alfonte tried to stab him but he managed to wrestle the weapon away and stabbed the victim with it.

Vergara showed cuts on his hands as evidence of the grapple. But the court gave more credence to the testimonies of three witnesses presented by the prosecution. – Jose Aravilla