For kidnapping with homicide: Court slaps man 40-80 yrs jail term

CEBU, Philippines - The Regional Trial Court (RTC) has convicted a man for kidnapping and killing of two minors who were believed to be hired to kill a certain Tangkang, brother of the late Tata Negro.

RTC Branch 6Judge Ester Veloso found sufficient evidence to hold Rolando Mijares alias Bogart guilty beyond reasonable doubt of kidnapping with homicide beyond, despite his denials.

“The denials of the accused Mijares cannot overturn the positive assertions of the prosecution’s eyewitness. The said eyewitness Gualberto Librando voluntarily revealed to the police all he knew and saw, maintaining all that his conscience bothered him,” read the decision.

The accused was sentenced to 40 to 80 years of imprisonment for two counts of kidnapping with homicide and ordered to pay the heirs of the victims P350,000 as damages.

On April 21, 2011, Mijares, along with Allan Sanchez, a certain Alladin and a certain Jr. allegedly kidnapped and killed the victims, one aged 16.

Only Mijares got arrested.  The others remain at-large.

Prosecution witness Librando alleged he was one of the employees of Tangkang, who was receiving death threats at that time.

On April 21, 2011 at about 4 p.m., while manning the gate of his employer’s house, a certain Jr. asked him to accompany them and proceeded to Fuente area.  There, two minors reportedly boarded their vehicle and the two were brought to Taptap, a mountainous barangay of Cebu City.

In Taptap, the minors were reportedly interrogated by about nine men who planned to kill Tangkang.

When the minors denied any knowledge of the plan, Mijares and Alladin allegedly tortured and killed the two, then dumped their bodies.

Because his conscience kept brothering him, Librando reported the incident to the police.

In his defence, Mijares said he went to the house of an alleged drug lord Tangkang because he wanted to sell shabu since he needed money to fix their leaking roof.

Tangkang allegedly promised him to give P12,000 worth of shabu and that his driver would pick up the proceeds.

Later, Tangkang reportedly told Mijares to go with Librando to Barangay Busay together with Aladdin, Sanchez, and a certain Jr. because the former would be arresting two persons.

Mijares said Librando interrogated the minors if they were hired by a certain Palao to kill Tangkang, which they denied. The victims were allegedly tortured and killed by Alladin, Jr, Librando, and Allan.  Mijares claimed being framed-up by Librando.

Veloso, however, ruled to convict Mijares.

“The accused could not establish any motive for Librando to frame him up. Such allegation remained uncorroborated and unproven,” the decision read, adding the testimony of Librando was worthy of full faith and credit after there was no evidence to show that he has motive to testify falsely against Mijares. (FREEMAN)