The 28-year-old man accused of killing the son of Carcar City Mayor Nicepuro Apura retracted his previous admission and pleaded not guilty during his arraignment yesterday.
Jaybhoy Lauron denied the accusations against him before Regional Trial Court Judge Douglas Marigomen of Branch 5.
He was assisted by lawyer Leah Cruz of the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO).
Lauron’s co-accused Jethro Lapiña didn’t have a lawyer yesterday and will be arraigned on July 27.
Lauron and Lapiña are facing murder charges in relation to the fatal shooting of 25-year-old Carl Vinson Apura last May 13.
Carl Vinson was shot dead past midnight during a disco concert in barangay Poblacion, Carcar City.
Aside from Lauron and Lapiña, eight other persons were implicated in the crime.
But the case against the alleged “conspirators” were sent to the Cebu City Prosecutors’ Office for further investigation.
Mayor Apura, in an interview after the arraignment, said he wasn’t surprised about Lauron’s plea of innocence.
“A retraction of his previous confession is expected,” he told reporters.
Lawyer Democrito Barcenas, counsel of the Apura family, said Lauron’s confession before the media following his arrest shall be taken into consideration by the court.
“All admissions done before the media are admissible even if they were done without the assistance of a counsel,” Barcenas said.
“Persons accused of a crime normally admit their involvement in a crime if they are still with the police. Once the lawyer comes in, they forget their admissions,” he added.
Four witnesses executed an affidavit against the accused.
In his affidavit, a habal-habal driver said he was observing a disco concert in sitio Upper Tubod, barangay Poblacion III in Carcar City at around 12:30 am last May 13.
He said he saw Lapiña hugged the victim while Lauron shot the victim.
Lauron was arrested by police in Bohol last May 17.
Lauron admitted he was the gunman but said he didn’t know the man he killed.
He said he had a confrontion on the dance floor with the mayor’s son.
Lauron, however, didn’t execute an extra-judicial confession to formalize his admission.
Police also arrested Lapiña in Carcar City.
Lapiña, a piggery caretaker, denied his involvement in the crime./REPORTER ADOR VINCENT S. MAYOL