Carpenter nabbed for ‘hacking’ neighbor

A 24-year-old carpenter who hacked his neighbor to death was arrested Tuesday afternoon in a hot pursuit operation in Barangay Doldol, Dumanjug town, midwest Cebu.

Cesar Lañojan was accused of beheading Francisco “Isko” Montemayor, 41, using a 17-inch knife Tuesday dawn in the same village.

According to Police Inspector Gilfred Baroman, chief of Dumanjug Police Station, a witness saw Lañojan with a bladed weapon hurriedly left the crime scene at around 1 a.m. on May 15.

Lanojan reportedly has a personal grudge against the victim after the latter failed to settle his P500 debt from a cockfight.

Before the attack, Montemayor, his two brothers, and two neighbors were drinking.

But the “overly intoxicated” Montemayor was left sleeping on the makeshift bamboo bed along the barangay road.

Lañojan reportedly cut off Montemayor's head while he was asleep.

“Kining biktima known gyud ni siya nga manginomay gyud ug kung asa siya ga inom adto rapud ni siya matog,” Baroman said.

Lañojan was hunted down by the Dumanjug police after receiving a tip on the suspect's whereabouts from a resident.

Recovered from the suspect was the knife.

A murder case was filed against Lañojan before the Provincial Prosecutor's Office yesterday.

He is currently detained at the town's police station pending proper disposition.

SENTENCED

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has sustained a decision against a man who was meted 20 to 40 years imprisonment for killing a barangay councilman of Lanao, Daanbantayan in northern Cebu 16 years ago.

This after SC denied Generaldo Condino's appeal to overturn the decision of the Regional Trial Court (RTC).

"Given these circumstances, we find no cogent reason to disturb the factual findings of the lower courts, as said findings are duly supported by the evidence on record," read the decision penned by SC Associate Justice Mariano Del Castillo.

The RTC found Condino guilty beyond reasonable doubt of murder and sentenced him to spend 20 to 40 years in jail.

Condino's was charged with murder for allegedly killing Isabelo Arrabis on September 23, 2002.

Condino appeared before the lupon ng tagapamayapa at the Lanao Barangay Hall for a hearing.

Condino was accused of destroying a plastic chair owned by the barangay.

Arrabis was also present during the hearing.

After the hearing, Arrabis together with other barangay officials went out of the barangay hall and sat down on a nearby bamboo bench for a chat.

While they were talking, Condino calmly and unsuspectingly walked towards them.

But the suspect grabbed the victim's neck and stabbed him three to four times, resulting in the latter's instantaneous death.

The court found Condino guilty in the killing of the village official.

Also, Condino was ordered to pay the heirs of Arrabis P50,000 as civil indemnity; P100,000 as moral damages; P175,000 as actual damages; and P30,000 as attorney's fees.

RTC's decision was affirmed by the Court of Appeal, citing the prosecution was able to establish the elements of murder since the attack was unexpected and without the slightest provocation on the part of the unarmed victim.

The lower courts decisions were also affirmed by the SC.

"As for the issue on the presence of the qualifying circumstance of treachery, we agree with the CA's conclusion that the attack was executed in a manner that the victim was rendered defenseless and unable to retaliate," read the decision.

The SC, however, modified the damages against Condino.

The awards of civil indemnity, moral damages, and exemplary damages were increased to P75,000 each; the award of actual damages was deleted and replaced with temperate damages amounting to P50,000.