By Jeffrey Damicog
Government prosecutors have secured the murder conviction of an Army reservist for killing a man in a road rage incident in Manila three years ago.
Department of Justice (DOJ) Undersecretary Markk Perete (Photo courtesy of dumaguetecity.gov.ph / MANILA BULLETIN)
Department of Justice (DOJ) spokesman Undersecretary Markk Perete said Judge Buenaventura Albert Tenorio Jr. of Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) issued a decision Monday (August 5) which found Vhon Martin Tanto guilty of murder for killiing Mark Vincent Geralde.
“The Court imposed upon Tanto the penalty of reclusion perpetua,” Perete said in a statement.
Tenorio also ordered Tanto to indemnify the heirs of Geralde more than P1.04 million as actual damages, and P100,000 for moral and exemplary damages.
The case concerns a road rage incident last July 25, 2016 when the two men got into a fist fight after Geraldo, who was riding his bicycle blocked Tanto’s car on P. Casal St. in Quiapo, Manila.
Tanto, a Philippine Army Reservist, shot Garalde twice after the altercation.
Perete noted government prosecutors were able to get the conviction after having presented evidence which convinced the magistrate to make a guilty ruling.
“The prosecution presented 10 witnesses, as well as the closed circuit television footage of Barangay 385 Quiapo where the incident transpired,” he said.