Court convicts ex-cop Nuezca of murder in killing of mother, son in Tarlac
MANILA, Philippines (Updated 1:49 p.m.) — A local court has convicted former cop Jonel Nuezca of two counts of murder for killing a mother and son in Tarlac in December 2020.
The Tarlac Regional Trial Court Branch 106 found Nuezca guilty beyond reasonable doubt of murder, on two counts. The court also sentenced him to reclusion perpetua or up to 40 years of imprisonment, for each count.
Nuezca was filmed shooting 52-year-old Sonia Gregorio and her son Frank Anthony Gregorio at close range during an argument in the latter’s home on December 20,2020. Video of the cold blooded killing of the two, who were both unarmed, went viral.
The court also ordered Nuezca to pay the heirs of Sonia P100,000 as civil indemnity, P100,000 in exemplary damages, P126,280 as actual damages and P50,000 as temperate damages with interest rate of 6% per annum until the finality of decision until paid.
Judge Stella Maria Gandia-Asuncion also ordered Nuezca to pay the same amount to the heirs of Frank Anthony.
The altercation involved the Gregorios' use of "boga" or an improvised noisemaker. Nuezca went to their house, confronted them about it and confiscated the boga.
In the video, Nuezca was heard saying: "Putang ina mo, gusto mo tapusin na kita ngayon (Son of a bitch, do you want me to end you right now)?"
He then pulled out a pistol, revealed later on to be his firearm, and shot them both in the head.
Court: Victims had no chance to defend themselves
The court said the prosecution "was able to lucidly establish" that Nuezca killed Sonia and Frank Anthony and that the killing "[was] attended by attendant circumstance of treachery as testified to by prosecution eyewitnesses."
The video of the incident, taken by Sonia's granddaughter, a witness in the case, was also presented as evidence.
The court held that from the established facts, treachery—an element of murder under Article 248 of the Revised Penal Code — is present in the commission of the crimes.
It noted that Nuezca was holding on to the shorts of Frank Anthony and Sonia was embracing her son in an attempt to pull him away from the accused. Sonia had an exchange with Nuezca’s daughter when the accused interfered and cursed at her, before he killed the mother and son.
"The attack made by the accused is so swift and sudden that the victims were not able to defend themselves. The shots fired were made in quick succession… The victims are unsuspecting and never knew during the span of commotion and altercation that the accused has a gun," it added.
The judge also pointed out that the police legal report submitted to the court concluded that Sonia died of a gunshot wound on the head and Frank Anthony of gunshot wounds on the head and face.
"These fatal wounds that [cost] the lives of the victims are indeed treacherous," it added.
Nuezca’s voluntary surrender is deemed a mitigating circumstance in the case, but the court said "it cannot be basis for changing the nature of the crime nor for imposing a penalty lower than that prescribed by law."
Calls for reform within the agency resounded in the days following the killings, when ranking government officials including Police Brig. Gen. Brandi Usana, the spokesperson of the PNP at the time, were quick to condemn the killing but asserted that it was an "isolated incident." — with Franco Luna
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