Cop gets death for killing live-in partner

A policeman was sentenced to die by lethal injection yesterday by a Mandaluyong court for shooting to death his live-in partner inside a police station three years ago.

Judge Paulita Acosta-Villarante of the Mandaluyong RTC Branch 211 also ordered former SPO4 Pedro Ilao to indemnify the heirs of the victim, Helen Agan-de Castro the sum of P179,000 in actual and moral damages.

In her 34-page decision, Villarante gave weight to the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses PO3 Ricardo Lucero and the victim’s daughter, Juliet, over the alibi of Ilao, who was formerly assigned at the Traffic Management Group (TMG) in Batangas.

"The prosecution had proven the guilt of the accused beyond reasonable doubt," Villarante said.

Court records showed that Ilao and De Castro, who shared a house on J.P. Rizal street in Mandaluyong City, engaged in a bitter quarrel on Nov. 20, 2002.

Ilao was furious at De Castro for allegedly buying a tricycle for her lover, a certain Noel.

At the height of the argument, the daughter said she heard her mother crying in pain. She rushed to check what was happening and saw Ilao pointing a gun at her mother.

She pacified the two and called the attention of a barangay tanod, who accompanied them to a police precinct in Kalentong, where they were received by Lucero, the duty desk officer.

De Castro had sought to end her relationship with Ilao and she wanted it to be put on record in the police blotter.

As Lucero was about to jot the request on the logbook, Ilao took out a caliber .45 pistol and shot De Castro at close range. He then fired at Lucero, but missed.

Lucero returned fire five times with two bullets finding their mark.

De Castro died of gunshot wounds at the Lourdes Hospital while Ilao was rushed to the nearest hospital.

In his defense, Ilao claimed he went to the police station because the daughter, who objected vehemently to their relationship, filed a complaint against him.

Lucero, he said, inquired about his gun and when he told him that he left it inside his car, the officer tried to grab it from his waist.

A grapple ensued and Lucero accidentally squeezed the trigger, hitting De Castro in the body.

Ilao claimed Lucero then shot him several times.

However, Senior Inspector Enrique Agtarap, of the firearms identification section of the Eastern Police District’s crime laboratory supported Lucero’s claims, prompting Villarante to junk Ilao’s alibi.