Court metes pa, son
40 years for murder
BY GILBERT BAYORAN

A father and his son were found guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the crime of murder, and sentenced to suffer the penalty of “reclusion perpetua”, or a maximum of 40 years, for the killing of their neighbor five years ago in EB Magalona, Negros Occidental.

In his 12-page decision, Silay Regional Trial Court Judge Felipe Banzon also ordered convicted accused persons Alfonso Pancho Jr. and his father, Alfonso Sr., to pay the heirs of their victim, Ricarte Dichoso Sr., P324,300 as civil indemnity, actual, moral and exemplary damages.

Alfonso Jr., his father; brother, Alme, and first cousin, Leo Pancho, were charged for the murder of Dichoso Sr. on Jan. 26, 2006, at the Hope Village in Brgy. 1, EB Magalona.

Ilog Mayor John Paul Alvarez and eight of his co-accused who are facing a criminal case for alleged violation of the Anti Graft and Corrupt Practices Act before the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division, have posted bail of P30,000 each.

Alvarez also entered a plea of not guilty on arraignment.

The Sandiganbayan has issued a hold departure order against all nine of them, documents furnished the DAILY STAR yesterday by the legal team of the family of slain Ilog Councilor Antonio Gequillana Jr. showed.

The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office yesterday denied that it is delisting 112 charitable institutions, four of them  Bacolod based, from its regular beneficiaries of fund assistance.

“We are merely reviewing the manner in which they spend the funds to determine if they are complying with the reasons for their release, and have submitted liquidation reports,” Dr. Larry Cedro, PCSO spokesperson and Fund Allocation Department officer-in-charge, told the DAILY STAR.

The funds can only be spent for medicines and health-related activities of the beneficiary foundations under the terms and conditions of their release, and not for utilities and payment of salaries of their staff, Cedro said.