TACLOBAN CITY- A lawyer was sentenced to reclusion perpetua after he was found guilty of murder by a court based here on Friday (April 5) for the crime that happened three years ago.
Found guilty of murder was Aquilino Mejica who was meted to a life sentence by Judge Alphinor Serrano, presiding judge of the Regional Trial Court-Branch 6.
The court also ruled that Mejica would not be eligible for any parole.
Mejica, who was present during the promulgation and did not hired a lawyer for his defense, was also directed to pay the heirs of victim Archimedes Moscare, an architect by profession, in the total amount of P500,000 for civil, moral, exemplary and actual damages.
Mejica was the prime suspect in the killing of Moscare inside the campus of Leyte Normal University (LNU), this city last June 6, 2016.
“Wherefore, in view of all the foregoing considerations, judgment is hereby rendered finding the accused Atty.Aquilino Mejica guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the crime of murder penalized under Article 248 of the Revised Penal Code, and this Court hereby sentenced the said accused of to suffer the penalty of imprisonment of reclusion perpetua without eligibility to parole,” the court said.
Moscare was gunned down by Mejica using his 45 caliber pistol inside the victim’s office located at the second floor of LNU’s library.
Moscare worked as a member of the technical working group for various projects of LNU with the wife of Moscare among his co-workers.
Jealousy was said to be the motive why Mejica killed Moscare.
A witness to the crime of passion said that Mejica shot the victim from behind, hitting him at his left chest.
A copy of the CCTV footage had shown the suspect entering the premises of LNU on his way to the scene of the crime.
Mejica was arrested on July 14, 2017 at his residence in Oras, Eastern Samar. Mejica is presently detained at the Tacloban City Jail.
BY: JOEY A. GABIETA
