DAVAO CITY – A day after he was indicted for homicide, Dr. Marvin Rey R. Pepino, who allegedly shot and killed 19-year-old Grade 9 student Amierkhan Mangacop in a bar here Saturday, July 2, was released after posting bail on his 32nd birth anniversary Thursday, July 21.
Pepino, who was detained for 19 days at the San Pedro Police Station, arrived at the Davao City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 16 clad in a bulletproof vest and helmet to post bail around 8 a.m.
The City Prosecutor’s Office filed separate criminal information before the RTC Branch 17 for homicide and violation of Section 31 of Republic Act (RA) 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.
Section 31 prohibits the carrying of a licensed firearm outside residence without permit.
Pepino posted bail totaling P180,000 – P120,000 for homicide and P60,000 for violating RA 10591.
Police Major Eudisan Gultiano, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office-Davao, confirmed that Pepino posted bail but declined to release other details, saying she is not the “proper authority” to disclose information.
The Mangacop family said they are discussing their next move with their counsel.
They said a motion to cause the issuance of a precautionary hold-departure order was filed before the city prosecutor Wednesday, July 20, for fear that the accused would leave the country and escape prosecution since he has the financial capacity.
The Justice for Amier Mangacop online page created by the relatives of the victim expressed dismay over this development.
“On his Birthday,” the page said, “Dr. Marvin Pepino was able to post Bail since the case was downgraded to homicide.”
It quoted an iconic line from the hit song “Tatsulok” of the popular Filipino alternative rock band Bamboo – “At ang hustisya ay para lang sa mayaman (Justice is for the rich).”
The Prosecutor’s Office, in a joint resolution dated Tuesday, July 19, released the next day Wednesday, July 20, said it found probable cause to indict Pepino for a lesser bailable offense of homicide, not murder.
They said evidence submitted by investigating authorities failed to establish treachery and evident premeditation, circumstances which would have qualified the crime as murder.
But it added that the prosecutor dismissed Pepino’s invocation of self-defense as it was he who went to Mangacop’s cousins and started the verbal altercation.
On July 2 at 12:50 a.m., Pepino, 31, a doctor at the Camp Sgt. Quintin M. Merecido Hospital at the Police Regional Office (PRO)-Davao here, shot the victim seven times following a heated altercation at Lugar Café and Bar.
Pepino is the son of the late Major Gen. Marvin Manuel Pepino, who served as director of the Cybercrime Investigation Office of the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center.