2 convicted of killing prosecutor

CEBU CITY—Two men were sentenced to 40 years’ imprisonment on Friday after a regional trial court (RTC) found them guilty of killing a prosecutor in 2009.

Allan Senogat, 34, and Lyndon Horandoy, 29, were also ordered to pay P7 million, which would represent the salary that Assistant City Prosecutor Patrick Ian Osorio would have earned until his retirement at age 65.

Judge Silvestre Maamo Jr. of the Cebu City RTC Branch 17  also directed the two to pay  more than P1 million in damages.

Osorio’s family and city prosecutors welcomed the court decision, saying justice was finally achieved.

“We prayed hard for this. I believe divine justice came to intervene,” said Osorio’s father, Jesus, after the promulgation.

Senogat and Horandoy, who would be transferred to the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City, would appeal the decision, saying they had nothing to do with the killing.

“Look at us very intently and you’ll find that we are innocent,” Senogat told Osorio’s family inside the courtroom after the promulgation on Friday.

Horandoy, who was tagged as the gunman, stared angrily at the victim’s family while he and Senogat were escorted out of the courtroom by armed jail guards.

Osorio, 37, was shot twice by one of two men on board a motorcycle in Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City, on Jan. 6, 2009. He died in the hospital the next day, leaving behind his wife, Julia, and five children aged 12, 11, 9, 8 and 4.

The motive has not been established despite the conviction of Senogat and Horandoy.

In his 27-page decision, Judge Maamo gave credence to the account of eyewitness Sergio Abala, who identified Senogat as the driver of the motorcycle and Horandoy, the gunman.

Senogat claimed he was a fall guy and that he was at home in Barangay Maghaway in Talisay City when Osorio was shot.

Horandoy signed an extra-judicial confession, claiming that Senogat hired him to drive a motorcycle to Cebu City. Senogat told Horandoy of his plan to kill someone for P50,000.

In his confession, Horandoy claimed Senogat gave him a .45 cal. pistol and ordered him to shoot Osorio. Horandoy said he obliged.

But Horandoy later recanted his statement during the trial and claimed that he was forced to confess because he was tortured by the police.