Teen linked to Ladlad exec killing charged with murder

LEGAZPI CITY— The teen accused of killing the coordinator of the gay and lesbian group Ang Ladlad in Albay province last Monday was charged with murder on Thursday, police said.

Chief Insp. Pedro A. Rafael Jr., acting Oas police chief, said they filed a murder case in the Ligao City Prosecutor’s Office against the alleged lover of Dennis Relato, 48, a musician and entertainer, who was killed inside his house in Barangay Ilaor Sur in Oas town.

“With that development, we consider the case closed,” he said.

Rafael said the teen would continue to be held at the Oas police jail and not turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development since he had yet to produce a birth certificate to prove he was 17 years old.

Under the Juvenile Justice System and Welfare Act of 2006, minors ages 15 but below 18 years old could be criminally charged. President Benigno Aquino amended Republic Act No. 10630 in October 2013, stating that a child above 15 years old but below 18 years old could be exempted from criminal liability and be subjected to an intervention program unless he acted with discernment.

Rafael said investigation showed that Relato and the teen, his alleged lover and a resident of this city, had a heated argument before the killing happened. He said Relato’s neighbors heard a commotion inside his house several hours before the victim was found dead about 9 p.m.

The medical report by the municipal rural health officer, Dr. Jane Revereza, said Relato had more than 20 stab wounds in different parts of his body.

Interviewed by the Inquirer at the police station, the young man admitted to repeatedly stabbing Relato. He said he was forced to do oral and anal sex.

“I refused. I thought it was only oral sex but he asked me to do things I couldn’t do,” he said. “[I] was trying to leave the room but he pushed me against the door, then it just happened so fast,” he claimed.

“I am very sorry. I didn’t mean to do it. Everything turned dark when he started hurting me,” he said.