A POLICE officer whose fatal shooting of a mother and her son in Tarlac went viral last December has been sentenced to double life by the Tarlac Regional Trial Court.
Judge Stella Maria Gandia-Asunsion of the Tarlac RTC Branch 106 found Senior M/Sgt. Jonel Nuezca “guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the crime of murder” for killing Sonia and Frank Anthony Gregorio during an altercation that ended on a deadly note.
PNP chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar and Central Luzon Regional Police Director Brig. Gen. Valeriano de Leon welcomed the guilty verdict, with Eleazar saying: “Justice is finally served with the conviction of former police sergeant Jonel Nuezca.”
De Leon said the ruling “goes to show equal justice to everyone and that the PNP does not condone any infraction or wrongdoing committed by any of its members.”
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the guilty verdict showed the country’s justice system is working.
“We commend the prosecution and the honorable judge for the speedy disposition of this case. It shows that if we all put our hearts into it, we can really make the administration of justice a little more efficient,” Guevarra said.
Eleazar said another cop, M/Sgt. Hensie Zinampan who shot dead a grandmother in Quezon City last May, has been dismissed from the service and is facing trial.
“He too was already dismissed from the service, and we are confident that justice will also be served to the family of his victim Lilybeth Valdez,” said Eleazar.
“Both the cases of Nuezca and Zinampan will serve as a lesson that will constantly remind us that as police officers, we are the protectors of the Filipino people, and not their tormentors,” Eleazar added.
Gandia-Asunsion also ordered Nuezca to pay the heirs of Sonia P100,000 as civil indemnity, P100,000 in exemplary damages, P126,280 as actual damages, and P50,000 as temperate damages with an interest rate of six percent per annum until the payment is fully satisfied.
The same amount was awarded to the heirs of Frank Anthony.
Last January, Nuezca entered a not guilty plea for two counts of murder.
The killing of Sonia and her son, who were both unarmed, was caught on video and went viral on social media, drawing condemnation from the public along with calls for the PNP to institute reforms in its ranks.
The condemnation heightened when it was learned that, over the last 10 years, Nuezca faced six cases for grave misconduct, serious neglect of duty, refusal to undergo drug test, an administrative case, and suspension.
He was also slapped with two homicide cases in 2019 that were dismissed due to lack of evidence.
In finding Nuesza guilty, the court said the cellphone video of the killings and the testimony of the person who took it were vital in proving the case against the former police officer.
It said that witness Allyza Kate Calosing, the person who took the video, explained and authenticated the video recording she made of Nuezca shooting the victims in cold blood.
“The attack made by the accused is so swift and sudden that the victims were not able to defend themselves. The shots fired were made in rapid succession, Hence, the attack made is treacherous. The attack came unexpected at a time where the accused is holding the shorts of victim Frank Anthony and while victim Sonia is embracing Frank Anthony. The victims are unsuspecting and never knew during the span of commotion and altercation that the accused has a gun,” the court said.
Sonia and Frank Anthony sustained gunshot wounds on the head and face. — With Victor Reyes
