By CYRUS M. GARDE
BACOLOD City — Captured fugitive Noel Ayalin pleaded guilty to two attempted homicide charges filed against him before the Municipal Trail Court in Cities (MTCC) in Silay City during yesterday’s arraignment at the Hall of Justice.
MTCC Judge Eunice Guance, who read the decision, said the suspect, a former barangay captain of Kapitan Ramon, Silay City, will be meted with a prison term of three months minimum and one year and six months maximum for each case at the Special Intensive Care Area of Bacolod City District Jail.
The complainants were Jeffrey Latorgo, Ayalin’s godson, and Joemarie Occeña.
Latorgo and Occeña no longer asked for indemnity, saying they were already satisfied with the court’s decision.
Ayalin was assisted by Atty. Maria Lico, whom the judge sought and assigned to the accused, from the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO).
Meanwhile, at the Regional Trail Court (RTC) Branch 69, Judge Felipe Banzon deferred Ayalin’s arraignment to June 9.
Three counts of qualified direct assault with murder and four counts of qualified frustrated murder were filed with RTC Branch 69 against the suspect. No bail was recommended for the suspect’s temporary liberty.
Banzon did not push through with the arraignment after Ayalin failed to secure a private or PAO counsel.
The jail warden, Chief Insp. Larry Fuentes, personally escorted Ayalin, considered a “high-risk” inmate, from the Bacolod City District Jail to the MTCC.
Silay City policemen led by Supt. Jacob Crisostomo secured the Hall of Justice and prevented relatives of Ayalin’s victims to come near the suspect.
Ayalin was accused of shooting to death Kapitan Ramon kagawads Luzviminda Cotamen, Pedrito Orocio, Freddie Juño and Sangguniang Kabataan president Aimee Occeña on March 6, 2011. He went into hiding since until he was arrested in Iba, Zambales, on May 5.
Until his arrest, he was one of the Top 20 most wanted persons in Western Visayas./PN
