‘10 years in jail, no less for man who killed mom’

Cebu City Prosecutor Nicolas Sellon yesterday  described as “laughable” the proposal for a plea bargain that would reduce the possible prison term to only eight years for  25-year-old Christian “Lucky” Dalangin, who confessed to killing his mother.

“That could not be. The accusations were so grave: a son killed his mother,” Sellon told reporters.

Dalangin should be imprisoned “for 10 to 20 years,” Sellon said.

If convicted of parricide, Dalangin faces a penalty of reclusion perpetua or 20 to 40 years  imprisonment.

A  lesser offense of homicide could draw a prison term of at least a decade.

During the court proceeding last Monday, Dalangin’s father Virgilio  asked that  charges against the accused be downgraded from parricide to homicide.

Virgilio also sought a  lesser penalty for his son, preferably eight years imprisonment.

The court will hear Dalangin’s plea during arraignment scheduled later today.

The arraignment was reset to give parties time to discuss a possible plea bargain.

Sellon instructed Assistant City Prosecutor Ricky Jones Macabaya, resident prosecutor of Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 18, to get the consensus of the family.

Usually, Sellon said, the decision of the husband is given much weight in dealing with plea bargaining agreements.

However, Sellon said the case against Dalangin is different since Virgilio and the victim had their marriage annulled.

“I instructed Fiscal Macabaya not just to consider the consent of the husband (Virgilio) as well as the decision if the victim’s siblings and two sons,” he said.

A plea bargaining agreement should have the approval of the prosecution, defense and the court.

“If one party  objects, the plea won’t be approved,” Sellon  said.

He said the consent of the complainants has  greater bearing, especially in the case of Lucky where the family feels for both the victim and suspect.

Dalangin will be arraigned before RTC Judge Gilbert Moises of Branch 18 today.

He earlier admitted killing his mother Rubirosa Tenchavez by slashing her throat on Aug. 23 after she  scolded him over broken floor tiles and a damaged their computer.

According to the National Bureau of Investigation, which convinced the nursing graduate to be surrender  and show them where he buried his mother, Dalanguin admitted using shabu before and during the crime.

Dalangin’s aunt  Vivian Batayola said she was apprehensive about Virgilio’s request to lessen the criminal charge as setting a bad example.