Man charged for stepson’s death

CHARGES for serious illegal detention with murder were filed against the man, who admitted to the kidnapping and murder of his ex-lover’s 7-year-old son in Mandaue City.

Mario Abecia, 42, was committed to the Mandaue City Jail past 1 p.m. yesterday after charges were filed in court against him.

Abecia is accused of killing Gabriel Morales, whose body was found covered with soil and crushed hollow blocks inside the suspect’s house in barangay  Subangdaku, Mandaue City.

The boy was wrapped in a yellow blanket with his mouth and feet bound with packing tape.

Abecia’s friend, Arsenio Ursal Jr., was released since there was no witness who could linked him to the crime, said deputy city prosecutor Bienvenido Mabanto in his resolution.

The police had suggested in the inquest proceedings that charges of kidnapping and serious illegal detention in relation to Republic Act 7610 and murder be filed against Abecia.

The charges, however, were downgraded to serious illegal detention with murder.

Insp. Ramil Morpos, chief of the homicide section of the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO), said Abecia’s signing of the extra judicial confession could speed up the resolution of the case.

Morpos said Abecia could still change his mind and it’s up to him what to tell in the court hearings./REPORTER JUCELL MARIE P. CUYOS