Court charges stepdad with murder

MURDER charges were filed in court yesterday against a man who purportedly mauled and killed his stepson in barangay Punta Princesa, Cebu City.

Richard Perez is facing a nonbailable offense pending resolution of the case lodged against him before the Regional Trial Court in Cebu City.

Perez’s wife Maylyn said in an affidavit that the suspect punched 17-year-old Jhon Michael Mina in the stomach  during a confrontation last Aug. 16.

She said she told her husband that she and Jhon Michael, her son from another man, had an argument over household chores. Perez confronted Jhon Michael who apologized to his father.

Around midnight before they went to sleep, Maylyn said the suspect punched the victim’s stomach several times.

At 4 a.m., Maylyn said she heard a sound from where her son was lying downstairs.

“I hurriedly went down and approached Jhon Michael. I asked him what happened to him. He did not reply but instead grasped my forearm. I saw his tears falling from the eyes,” Maylyn said.

Maylyn said  she and her husband brought the boy to the Cebu City Medical Center, where he was declared dead.

Three neighbors, who said they saw the couple bring  the victim to the hospital, also executed an affidavit against the suspect. They said they heard the boy say, “Enough already.”

Witnesses said Richard told the boy, “What? Will you fight back?”/reporter ADOR VINCENT S. MAYOL