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3 charged for brutal slay of guest worker
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Posted on Mar 14 2000
Chief Criminal Prosecutor Kevin Lynch yesterday filed criminal charges before the Superior Court against three male suspects in connection with the murder of 40-year-old Filipino contract worker Cesario P. Valerio.
Mr. Lynch said Thomas Ch. Basa, 17, Anthony B. Magofna, 18, and Eugene B. Repeki Jr., 21, are now facing charges of second degree murder, voluntary manslaughter and aggravated assault and battery.
Superior Court Presiding Judge Edward Manibusan did not grant any bail. Mr. Lynch requested that Mr. Basa be tried as an adult due to the seriousness of the crime committed.
Mr. Valerio, a security guard at Courtney’s Plaza Commercial Bldg. in Chalan Kanoa, was attacked by three men on May 4, 1999 at around 12:59 a.m. Severely beaten, the police rushed him to the Commonwealth Health Center and was later on transferred to St. Luke’s Hospital in Manila where he later died due to severe head injury.
An investigation conducted by Police Capt. Delbert Sablan revealed that all the three men took turns in beating Mr. Valerio with a two-foot tall stand ashtray which fractured his skull.
In an interview with Capt. Sablan on March 9, 2000, Mr. Magofna, admitted his participation in the crime.
Based on Mr. Magofna’s story, he and his brother-in-law, Mr. Repeki, as well as his cousin, Mr. Basa, went out for drinks on the evening of May 3, 1999. When they left the bar, they urinated on the side of City Outlet building where Mr. Valerio was on duty on the second floor of the establishment.
According to the suspect, Mr. Valerio shouted at them and attempted to pick up a fight. Mr. Magofna said when they rushed to Mr. Valerio, they saw him with a pair of scissors and threatened to attack them.
He said they tried to fight back by beating Mr. Valerio with a stand ashtray and taking turns in kicking him.
Joseph Torres, employer of Mr. Valerio, lauded the arrest of the suspects, and thanked the police and the community for their help in solving the brutal murder.
