The video of the brutal killing of Dr. Andres Gumban was viewed yesterday by Regional Trial Court Branch 41 Judge Ray Alan Drilon at the hearing of the murder case filed against the minor suspect, whom the doctor had met through Facebook.

Some relatives of Gumban became emotional while watching the five-minute video showing how he was killed.

Senior Police Officer 1 Karyl Mugemulta, case investigator, who did not make it to the hearing in September, took the witness stand.

Mugemulta told the court that they had come from the Woodside Subdivision in Brgy. Alijis on May 10 when they were informed that a stabbing incident happened at Phase 3 in Regent Pearl Homes Subdivision.

When they arrived at the area, Mugemutla said, they saw the 16-year-old minor from Cadiz City, whose name is being withheld, and his classmate Pof Pascual 18, of Brgy. Tadlong, Sagay City, Negros Occidental being tied with chains by Ivan Amor, a purok official in Brgy. Alijis and Gumban’s neighbor, Jonathan Maniego.

He added that he went inside the house of Gumban and saw him lying in a fatal position in the restroom and called patrol 117 to check if the doctor was still alive.

Andrei Saril, legal counsel of Gumban's family said Drilon gave them 15 days to formally offer exhibits of evidences before the promulgation of the case of the minor, who pleaded guilty to the murder offense, took place on December 11.

Saril said the defense led by Christine Umahag of the Public Attorney’s Office is also given 15 days to file their rebuttal to the exhibits of the evidences.

The court set the pre-trial of Pascual in March next year, he said.

Drilon said that, despite the admission of the minor during his arraignment, the court still needs to weigh his criminal liability before handing down a decision.*APN

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