A Cebu City court yesterday found an ex-Air Force officer guilty for the murder of his two in-laws four years ago.
Retired Master Sgt. Nestor Bugarin was found liable of two counts of murder and was meted a penalty of reclusion perpetua or 20 to 40 years of imprisonment.
He was also sanctioned with another jail term of six to 12 years after he shot and wounded another relative.
Bugarin was mandated by the court to pay the heirs of the victims P561.399 in total damages.
Bugarin showed no signs of remorse.
In an interview after the promulgation, Bugarin admitted killing the victims purportedly out of self-defense.
“Sila (victims) ang nakakaalam kon sino ang nagsasabi ng tama sa amin. Wala akong dapat pagsisihan. Sila ang dapat magsisi, ngano gihilabtan nila ako. (The victims know the truth. I have no regrets. The victims should, rather, feel sorry for what they did),” he said.
“Sinugod ako, sila ang namulabog, natutulog ako. Kon wala nila ako gihilabtan, buhay pa sila karon. (They attacked me. I was sleeping. Had they not attacked me, they should have been alive now),” he added.
“Ang buhay may pag-asa pero ang patay bulate na lang ang katapat. Na-train ako sa sundalo para pumatay ng kaaway hindi para patayin. (Someone who is alive can hope. But only worms benefit a dead person. I was trained as a soldier to kill, not get killed),” he said.
An investigation revealed that Bugarin shot his brother-in-law Esmeraldo Pontanar thrice and his father-in-law Cristito Pontanar twice.
The accused also shot and wounded Esmeraldo’s son Paulo in the stomach.
In her decision, Regional Trial Court Judge Estela Alma Singco of Branch 12 found no evidence that the victims were armed during a confrontation with Bugarin.
“Under the foregoing circumstances, both Esmeraldo and Cristito were indisputably caught off guard by the sudden and deliberate attack coming from the accused, leaving them with no opportunity to raise any defense against the attack,” the judge said.
Singco was convinced that treachery was present in the commission of the crime.
“The accused became the unlawful aggressor when he shot Esmeraldo not only once but thrice, evidenced by the gun shot wounds he sustained. It is therefore evident from the conduct of the accused that he was determined to kill the victim and did not just act to defend himself,” she said.
In his testimony, Bugarin said his wife and Esmeraldo’s wife had a heated argument outside their home in barangay Apas, Cebu City on May 30, 2008.
Bugarin said he opted not to interfere until Esmeraldo arrived while carrying three firearms.
He said Esmeraldo, at one point, challenged him to go out of the house.
Bugarin decided to go out of the house, saying he didn’t want something bad would happen to his wife.
He said Esmeraldo tried to draw his gun, prompting him to shoot the victim.
Bugarin said he shot Esmeraldo again before Cristito arrived and slapped Bugarin’s face.
He said he decided to shoot Cristito when he tried to approach his son who was lying on the ground.
Bugarin said he didn’t wait for Cristito to shoot him first.
He said he also shot Esmeraldo’s son Paulo who allegedly threw stones at him and his wife.
Paulo was hit on the stomach. /WITH CORRESPONDENTS KATREENA BISNAR AND CARINE M. ASUTILLA