Teen who killed his friend nabbed

CEBU CITY—A teenager, who killed his 13-year-old friend in Consolacion town, Cebu, was arrested with his mother on Thursday dawn.

Florentino Bregente Jr. and his mother Veronica were on board a tricycle in an attempt to escape when the police collared them in Barangay Buanoy, Balamban town, 63 kilometers northwest of Cebu City.

Insp. Wilbert Parilla, chief of the Consolacion police, said a murder complaint was expected to be filed on Thursday afternoon against the teenager at the prosecutor’s office for shooting dead his friend, Jade Emnace, inside a billiard hall in Barangay Cansaga on Wednesday dawn.

Parilla said they were coordinating with the prosecutors if they could also charge the mother for obstruction of justice.

The police officer gave a go-signal to name the suspect after he received information that Florentino Jr. was 19 and not 17 as claimed by the teenager.

He said he would believe the teenager if the latter could present a birth certificate.

Parilla said they received a tip from Balamban police that the suspect was hiding in the room rented by his father and namesake, Florentino Sr., in Buanoy.

The owner of the boarding house reported the presence of the young suspect to the police.

When the police arrived at the boarding house on Thursday dawn, Florentino Sr. told them that he brought his son to the house of his cousin in Buanoy.

But Parilla said his men went to the house pointed by Florentino Sr. When they arrived there, they were told that a woman and a young man had just left the boarding house, located beside the boarding house rented by Florentino Sr.

Parilla said village watchmen in Buanoy conducted a checkpoint and stopped the tricycle boarded by the suspect and his mother.

The police then arrested the two after the young man admitted he was Florentino Jr.

When the police asked why he shot his friend, the young man replied that he was just playing with his gun.

But Parilla said their two witnesses executed affidavits, claiming that Florentino Jr. had an argument with Emnace at the local carnival in Cansaga.

According to witnesses,  Emnace made money supervising a game inside the carnival.

Florentino Jr. asked Emnace if he could take over so he too could make money. But the boy refused. The suspect then told Emnace; “You better watch out.”

The victim then went to the billiard hall to play with his other friends.

But they got into an argument since the bets were lacking. Florentino Jr. then arrived and told Emnace, “you are also loud,” before shooting the victim in the chest.