By ERWIN ‘AMBO’ DELILAN
TWO “shocking crimes” in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental put probers truly beyond dilemmas.
The assassination of Northern Negros Electric Cooperative (Noneco) general manager, Atty. Danny Pondevilla, shortly before midnight of Dec. 20 stunned the entire province and the “City of Smiles”. He died instantly.
Pondevilla, also the former officer-in-charge of Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco), was gunned down at the back of his head inside his car.
Though probers from Bacolod Police Station 2 already have “persons of interest” they’ve admitted that until now they’re facing a “blank wall”.
Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) director, Colonel Thomas Joseph Martir, said they’ve already formed a Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) to speed up the probe.
Pondevilla was laid to rest on Monday. None from his family and coworkers both from Noneco and Ceneco wanted to comment on the case.
Meanwhile, in radio interviews, Bacolod City’s Councilor Al Victor Espino, chairman of the Sangguniang Panlungsod’s (SP) committee on police matters, appealed to both the public and the media not to link Pondevilla’s killing to local politics.
Pondevilla, however, was no ordinary being, thus, his murder will be a running story in Bacolod. He was a high profile personality, and the place of the crime was within the tourism strip of the city. Hence, such “midnight assassination” puts the city’s peace and order and security in question and makes the business community uneasy. Thus, Mayor Albee Benitez’s statement on the matter is now being awaited by the public and business sector.
On Facebook, former governor-turned-capitol consultant on environment and energy Lito Coscolluela wished that Pondevilla’s case won’t remain unsolved.
“By a cruel and shocking turn of events, Atty. Pondevilla is gone, his life snuffed out with one bullet. As we await the results of the investigation and pray for justice, we thank GM Dan for being with us in our journey,” Coscolluela added.
TIGHT CORNER
The road mishap that happened in front of the EB Magalona National High School (EBMHNHS) on Dec. 15 also put the Lopez Sugar Corporation (LSC) in Sagay City in a tight corner.
EB Magalona’s Mayor Marvin Malacon, who is now aiding the victim’s family, doesn’t want an off-court settlement.
The mayor described such a road mishap as “gruesome beyond forgiveness”.
The victim, Kevin Liscano, 15, from Barangay Cudangdang of the town, was a Grade 10 student of EBMNHS. He was from their class Christmas party and was going home. When he crossed the highway alongside other students, the prime mover truck of LSC caught and flattened him to death at around 3 p.m.
In a CCTV footage, the driver-suspect, Dante Sebuguero, 47, of Sagay City was seen “smiling” after the incident. And that irked the mayor.
LSC, per information, wanted to pay Kevin’s parents a substantial amount provided, however, that they sign a waiver that they won’t pursue any criminal case against Sebuguero and LSC.
Mayor Malacon doesn’t want this kind of settlement. “Yes, dapat gid sila magbayad, pero we’ll still pursue the criminal case against the suspect or LSC.”
Under this circumstance, the potential liable parties were the driver and the trucking company or LSC per se. Civil and criminal charges can be filed against both. Reckless imprudence resulting in homicide would be the criminal case.
Sebuguero, the truck driver, could directly be held liable for the accident.
LSC, on the hand, may be at fault in two instances such as:
* failure to properly train the driver
* failure to keep the truck in good working condition
Under paragraph 6, sub-section 2 of Article 365 of the Revised Penal Code on reckless imprudence resulting in homicide, if the accused are proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt, they must serve a sentence of prision correccional in its medium and maximum periods or from two years, four months and one day to six years.
The mayor already gave an initial cash aid of P50,000 to Kevin’s parents.
The funeral and burial expenses will be burdened by the municipal government, too.
“That’s why gusto ko kon mag-settle ang LSC sa pamilya dapat sa atubang ko. Para makita ko kon ano ang pirmahan sang ginikanan,” stressed by the mayor.
Mayor Malacon’s stance was “hailable”, thus, he earned praises from netizens. After all, what he wanted is “exact justice” for Kevin’s tragic death./PN
