2 convicts in US Marine’s slay fall

MANILA, Philippines — Two fugitives convicted for the killing of a decorated United States Marine several years ago were arrested last week, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said yesterday.

Galicano Datu III was caught at a condominium in Mandaluyong City on June 12 while Crispin dela Paz was tracked down in San Pedro, Laguna and arrested following a car chase two days later, NBI Director Dante Gierran said.

Datu, Dela Paz, and Datu’s uncle Jimmy Boy David, who was charged with obstruction of justice, were presented during a brief press conference at the NBI headquarters yesterday morning.

Gierran said Datu went into hiding after learning a warrant was issued for his arrest last April 18 in connection with the killing of George Anikow during a brawl in Makati on Nov. 24, 2012.

In a post on Twitter, US Ambassador Sung Kim commended the NBI for the arrests, saying “it brings some measure of justice to this senseless crime.” 

Judicial flak

The NBI said the arrest warrant was issued by Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 59 Judge Winlove Dumayas, who was dismissed by the Supreme Court after finding him guilty of gross ignorance of the law and gross misconduct for convicting Datu and Dela Paz of homicide instead of murder.

Dumayas imposed a sentence of a maximum of six years, which allowed the two convicts to seek probation.

“The judge inappropriately appreciated the mitigating circumstances of self defense and voluntary surrender when other physical evidence and closed-circuit television footages of the incident showed that the accused should have been convicted of murder,” the NBI said. 

Anikow was arguing with a guard at the gate of Bel-Air Subdivision when Datu, Dela Paz and two others arrived. Anikow hit the convicts’ vehicle, prompting the men to get out of the vehicle and confront the Marine.

The argument led to a brawl that ended only after one of them stabbed Anikow in the neck.

The charges against the convicts’ companions, Alfonso Abastillas and Osric Cabrera, were dismissed, the NBI said. – With Pia Lee-Brago