A fisherman was sentenced to 15 years in prison by a Regional Trial Court judge yesterday for hacking and stabbing to death his neighbor in Cauayan town, Negros Occidental, almost eight years ago.

Diosdado Mangitngit, alias “Zaldy”, 41, was found guilty beyond reasonable doubt of homicide and was meted a minimum of eight years to a maximum of 15 years in jail by RTC Branch 61 Judge Henry Arles, for killing farmer Leoncio Grandia in Sitio Tiniguiban, Brgy. Tiling, Cauayan, at about 4 p.m. on July 18, 2000.

Arles ordered Mangitngit to be immediately transferred to the National Penitentiary in Muntinlupa City.

Mangitngit and a still unidentified person hacked and stabbed Grandia to death over a land dispute while the victim was on his way home, court records show.

The accused was originally charged with murder but Arles said there was no evidence that showed there was treachery involved when he and his companion killed the victim.

Mangitngit denied killing Grandia, 56, saying he was out in the sea with other fishermen when Grandia was killed.

Arles, however, said that Mangitngit’s denial and alibi could not be given credence against his positive identification by prosecution witness Valeriano Catacata who saw the accused and his companion during the incident.

Arles said that Catacata is a credible and disinterested witness because he did not have a prior misunderstanding with Mangitngit and that he had executed his affidavit just three days after incident, giving him no time to reflect or conjure.

On the other hand, Arles said, Mangitngit’s witnesses could not be considered impartial because they were all associated with him.

Arles also said that Mangitngit’s alibi could not also be given credit because the place where Grandia was killed was just near the coast where the accused left for the sea.*PP

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