Shooting of actor: Barangay tanod admits he carried unlicensed gun

CEBU, Philippines - The barangay tanod of Parian who shot dead a local actor during a shooting of a documentary film admitted he carried unlicensed firearm during the incident.

Edgardo Cuizon, through lawyer Wendell Quiban, admitted that his client was bringing firearm the day when Kirk Abella was shot at corner Ibarra and JC Zamora Streets.

Quiban said his client accidentally shot Abella because of recklessness.

However, lawyer Democrito Barcenas of the prosecution said “it was not reckless but there was intent to kill.”

Barcenas said they will prove to the court that murder has been committed by Cuizon.

The accused earlier filed a motion to downgrade the offense from murder to homicide, arguing there was no intent to kill.

But, Judge Estrella Singco of Regional Trial Court Branch 12 denied the motion to downgrade the offense of Cuizon as there was no sufficient basis to merit their grounds.

Barcenas said the court’s denial of the defense’s motion will give an impact to their case that there was intent to kill.

He told reporters that they will present at least six witnesses who were at the place when the incident happened to testify in court.

Quiban, on the other hand, said they will present seven witnesses to refute the allegations of the prosecution that his client intentionally killed Abella.

Cuizon shot Abella with the use of an unlicensed .357 caliber revolver, despite having full knowledge that there is a shooting of a documentary film in the place.

The scene that was being shot at that time was two actors, one of them Abella, were armed as suspects of drive-by shooting while boarding a motorcycle.

Cuizon reportedly fired the revolver just when the said motorcycle-riding actors started to move after the film director shouted “action.”

According to the information filed by the prosecutors, the accused fired the shot at the back-rider Abella “with deliberate intent, with intent to kill and with treachery.” 

The victim was hit to the back of his body and died a few minutes later. —(FREEMAN)