Farmer gets 15-years
for killing of neighbor

A farmer was sentenced yesterday to a maximum 15-year imprisonment for killing his neighbor at Purok Ilaya, Brgy. Salong, Kabankalan City, on Nov. 4, 2002.

Kabankalan Regional Trial Court Judge Henry Arles sentenced Narciso Tabion to eight years minimum imprisonment to 15 years after he failed to present clear and convincing evidence that he acted in self-defense in hacking and killing Federico Sionosa, 82, in Brgy. Salong, Kabankalan City, court records showed.

Arles also ordered Tabion to pay the heirs of Sionosa P50,000 for his death and other burial-related expenses.

Court records showed Sionosa was walking along the curve portion of the road leading to his home, while the Tabion brothers Jerry, Rey and the accused Narciso - followed him.

While Jerry Tabion and Sionosa were facing each other, accused Narciso Tabion, without any word, hacked the victim in his back, nape and hands with a bolo.

The Tabion brothers then ganged up on Sionosa and left him.

The bloodied victim, with his left arm mutilated, stood up and walked towards home, court documents showed.

He was rushed to the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital where he died three days later.

The accused, then 33, claimed he and his brother Jerry, rode a horse and were on their way to the house of Rabing Clarito to tell him to irrigate his rice field when they saw Sionosa sitting beside the road already holding a bolo.

When they came near, Sionosa stood up and hacked him with a bolo.

Fortunately, Sionosa claimed, he jumped from the horse and evaded the attacks.

He said he defended himself from the attack by drawing his own bolo and hacked the victim in the back.

Arles said the claim of the accused that he acted in self-defense from the unlawful aggression of the victim could not be given credence.

The court found it hard to imagine that the 82-year-old victim, whose right hand had been disabled due to the amputation of its four fingers as a consequence of a hacking incident, could assault the 30-year-old accused.

The number of wounds sustained by Sionosa on the face and left upper extremities with amputated left wrist, strongly belie Tabion's assertion of self-defense, the judge said.*DMG

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Beach resorts ocular
set for 'San Juan' festivities

The Bacolod City Disaster Coordinating Council members will inspect today all beach resorts in Bacolod City to check their readiness and preparation for the Feast of St. John the Baptist on Saturday.

BCDCC executive officer Cesar Villa yesterday said that since "San Juan" falls on a weekend, they anticipate a considerable influx of excursionists on the beaches and shorelines of the city, especially in Brgy. Punta Taytay.

He said the BCDCC will meet with beach and resort owners in Bacolod today and check if they have complied with the Tourism Code of Bacolod City requiring the employment of lifeguards and first-aiders in their premises. The punong barangays of Brgys. Banago, 1, 2, 3, 10, 12, 13, 14, 16, 35, Singcang Airport, Tangub, Pahanocoy and Punta Taytay were asked yesterday to advise their Barangay Disaster Coordinating Councils to deploy emergency response teams along the beaches and shorelines within their jurisdiction to ensure the safety of beachgoers.

A public assistance center will be established on Saturday at the barangay hall of Brgy. Punta Taytay where all activities will be coursed through, Villa said. An incidence command system, to serve as a center of coordination and command of operation, will be set up at the public assistance center, he said.

Villa said Punta Taytay Barangay Captain Rufino Alcala will be designated as incident commander. They will also designate safety, information and liason officers, he said.

Villa also said no children will be allowed to join the fluvial parade in Punta Taytay Saturday to prevent a similar incident to that in Bucaue, Bulacan where most of the casualties were children. The Desire WNC rescue group with their rubber boats will assist during the parade, he said.*CGS

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Suspect in theft of antique
church bell in Sum-ag falls

A 33-year-old man tagged by the police in the theft of an antique church bell of the St. John Nepumuceno Church in Brgy. Sum-ag, Bacolod City, was arrested by the Bacolod police in Brgy. Alijis at about 5 p.m. Monday.

Nabbed on the strength of an arrest warrant issued by Judge Gorgonio Ybañez of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 48, was Rey Villasor Mejica, of ECC Subdivision, Brgy. Alijis, Bacolod City.

He was nabbed by Bacolod Warrant and Subpoena Section operatives led by SPO1 Herson Villanueva.

Mejica refused to give any comment to Bacolod reporters yesterday.

Villanueva, however, told the DAILY STAR last night that Mejica had claimed he did not participate in the theft of the church bell worth about P1 million, but had only purchased it from a tricycle driver for P2,000. Mejica told him he sold the church bell to the Fernan Metals in Brgy. Tangub, Bacolod City for P11,500, Villanueva said.

He said they are looking into the possible involvement of Mejica in the series of robbery hold-up incidents involving Indian nationals in Bacolod City.

Villanueva and his men, PO3 Oscar Exaltado, PO1s Miguelito Garque, Walter Alunan and Othello Ramos, intercepted Mejica who resisted arrest. Mejica's bail was set at P40,000, police reports said.

Meanwhile, Jared Gepielago Banay, 25, of Purok Andan, Brgy. Bata, Bacolod City was also arrested by the WSS and Bacolod CD Squad at Robinsons Place Bacolod at about 1 p.m., for theft charges.

The arrest warrant had been issued by Judge Anastacio Rufon of the RTC, Branch 52, police reports also said.*DMG

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