Homicide raps filed vs soldier

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – Homicide charges were filed Friday before the Kabankalan City Prosecutor’s Office in Negros Occidental against a soldier who allegedly killed a minor following a commotion with the latter’s neighbor in Barangay 1 last Wednesday.

Police Lieutenant Dennis Melgarejo, deputy police chief of Kabankalan City Police Station, said a criminal complaint was filed against Sergeant Lito Valdevieso Jr., 37, of Jaro, Iloilo City, who is assigned to the Army’s 94th Infantry Battalion (IB).

Valdevieso’s case stemmed from an altercation with 52-year-old Felix Estomo, who asked for his identification card while he was drinking liquor with the minor’s father at their house.

Valdevieso wounded Estomo in the shooting, but the latter refused to pursue the filing of case because of fear, Melgarejo said.

The 15-year-old girl, who was sitting on a tricycle parked outside their house, died after she was hit by a stray bullet when Valdevieso caught up with Estomo and shot him after a brief chase.

Melgarejo said the case is bailable but they have yet to know if Valdevieso will post bail.