Judge Henry Arles of the Kabankalan Regional Trial Court sentenced yesterday a CAFGU member to eight to 15 years imprisonment after finding him guilty of homicide.

Sent to prison and ordered to pay indemnity to the heirs of victim

Renato Castillo was Alberto Lara, 56, a CAFGU member and resident of Barangay Tabugon, Kabankalan.

Records of the case showed that on January 21, 2005 during the celebration of the barangay fiesta, an altercation occurred between Lara's son Edgardo, also a CAFGU member at the dance hall.

Based on the testimonies of eyewitness Nenet Padernal, a friend of the victim, Edgardo Lara threw a bottle at them inside the dance hall, hitting one of their companions on the leg.

A fight ensued between Castillo and Edgardo later, during which, Lara arrived and stabbed Castillo with a knife in the stomach, Padernal testified. During the hearing of the case, Padernal positively identified Alberto as the one who stabbed and killed Castillo.

In his defense, Lara denied involvement in the stabbing incident, claiming he was just implicated and framed.

In his decision, Arles stated that the Court found no reason to discredit the testimony of the eyewitness, as there is no improper motive that could be attributed to why she would falsely impute a serious offense against the accused. "In the absence of such ill motive, her testimony is entitled to full faith and credit," the judge said in his decision.*NAB

back to top