Ex-Marine tagged as Baron assassin

A witness identified in court ex-Marine Sgt. Joseph Mostrales as the one who shot dead Baron Alexander Cervantes more than a year ago in Las Piñas City.

Mitchelle Cataluna was the first prosecution witness presented in court as the trial of the Cervantes killing began yesterday at the sala of Las Piñas City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 257 Judge Bonifacio Sanz Maceda.

Cataluna was then the security guard on duty at the Jubilaeum Drugstore located on Times Street corner Alabang-Zapote Road when Cervantes was killed.

In his testimony, Cataluna said Mostrales looked at him three times after shooting Cervantes, the self-styled spokesperson of the Young Officers Union (YOU).

Cataluna added he even followed Mostrales until the latter crossed the Alabang-Zapote Road. He then rushed back to the drugstore and called up a hospital for an ambulance.

During cross-examination, defense lawyers tried to discredit Cataluna’s testimony by insisting that he initially identified another person as the gunman from a set of pictures.

The trial is expected to run for two months.

The alleged mastermind in the killing, Superintendent Rafael Cardeño, and an alleged accomplice, Sonny Camacho, are still at large. – Nikko Dizon