A 17-year-old resident of Murcia, Negros Occidental, who pleaded guilty to robbing and killing a 73-year-old retired teacher, whose body was thrown into a deep well, has been sentenced to 17 years imprisonment.

Bacolod Regional Trial Court Judge Ray Alan Drilon yesterday said the 17-year-old, whose name is being withheld because he is a minor, had been charged with robbery and homicide for the death of Ma. Ana Quilantang Muzones at her residence in Brgy. Blumentritt, Murcia, Negros Occidental,  on July 14, 2010.

In his decision Tuesday, Drilon sentenced the 17-year-old to 14 years, eight months and one day to 17 years and four months imprisonment, after his being a minor was considered a privileged mitigating circumstance.

A mother of five is the latest rape-slay victim in Negros Occidental since Sunday, the police said yesterday.

The body of the latest victim, identified as Margarita de la Costa, 37, was found buried in a ricefield by the suspect, on Wednesday, a day after she was reported missing by her husband, in Sitio Alimatok, Brgy. Celestino Villacin, Cadiz City.

Supt. Santiago Rapiz, Cadiz police officer-in-charge, said initial investigations showed that the victim had been molested, and strangled to death then hastily buried naked in a ricefield.

The Senior Officers Placement and Promotions Board has already released the names of the five nominees for the post of Bacolod City Police Office Director, National Police Commission Region 6 Director Honey Paredes, who was in Bacolod yesterday, told the DAILY STAR.

Paredes said the nominees include City Police officer-in-charge Senior Supt. Ricardo de la Paz, Western Visayas Highway Patrol Group chief, Senior Supt. Cesar Jacob, Senior Supt. Herminio Tadeo from Camp Crame, former Region III chief of Police Aviation Service chief, Senior Supt. Eleodoro Ocampo, and former Tuguegarao City deputy director Senior Supt. Domingo Lucas.

Paredes said SOPPB has furnished them a copy of the list of nominees for initial screening and also furnished Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia the list.