3 men face raps over slay of Tacloban teacher

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

ORMOC CITY — Charges of robbery with homicide were filed against three men tagged in the slay last Nov. 26 of a senior high teacher in Tacloban City.

Policemen filed the charges on Monday, Nov. 27, against Mark Justine Conde, 23; Yasser Ivan Yu, 18; and Darwin Versoza, 18–all residents of Barangay 68 Anibong–at the Tacloban City Prosecutor’s Office.

Captain Noeme Jordan of the Tacloban City Police Office said witnesses pointed at the three suspects as the same persons who killed Bernabe Basiano, a senior high school teacher at the Antonio Balmes National High School.

Basiano, he said, was missing for two days before his body was found on Nov. 25 in Barangay 98 Camansihay.

Jordan said the suspects robbed the victim before slashing the latter’s throat.

Basiano lost his gold ring, money, cellular phone, and gold necklace.

The Department of Education in Eastern Visayas (DepEd), in a statement, condemned the killing of Basiano.

“We express our deepest sympathies and condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of the victim during this difficult time. This senseless act not only robs us of a valuable member of the teaching community but also shakes the very foundation of our commitment to providing a safe and nurturing environment for our learners,” said DepEd-Eastern Visayas Director Evelyn Fetalvero.

“We call on authorities to conduct a thorough and swift investigation to bring the perpetrators of this crime to justice. We urge the community to cooperate with the authorities and provide any information that may aid in the resolution of this case,” she added.

Fetalvero reiterated DepEd’s commitment to ensure the safety and security of teachers as they collaborate with law enforcement agencies to implement measures to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.

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