[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-desktop-hide=” av-medium-hide=” av-small-hide=” av-mini-hide=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=”]
[/av_textblock]
[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’Jason Ivler guilty of murder, Court of Appeals insists ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=’18’ font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
MANILA – The Court of Appeals (CA) affirmed a Quezon City court’s conviction of Jason Ivler for the murder of former Malacañang official Renato Ebarle Jr. in a traffic altercation in 2009.
In a decision released on Monday, the CA rejected Ivler’s appeal to overturn the 2015 guilty verdict of Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 84, which sentenced him to reclusion perpetua, or a minimum jail term of 30 years.
The shooting of Ebarle was attended by treachery, a circumstance that qualified the criminal act as murder, the appellate court noted in its 32-page ruling.
“Ivler’s alibi is juxtaposed with the testimonies of the prosecution eyewitnesses positively identifying him as the shooter,” the CA said. “Clearly the supposed altercation immediately before the shooting did not necessarily negate the presence of treachery.”
“(Ivler’s) defense of alibi must necessarily fail, especially when no ill motive on the part of the eyewitnesses was shown that could have made them falsely implicate Ivler in such a serious crime,” it added.
The CA also increased the amount of civil damages Ivler must pay to P916,590 from P248,890, with an interest of 6 percent per year from the time of finality of the decision until fully paid.
“Renato Ebarle Jr. was totally unaware that he would be treacherously shot in the comfort of his own car while waiting for the stoplight before him to turn green,” said the CA. “He was unarmed and was not given any opportunity to defend himself.”
It added: “The deadly successive shots of the accused-appellant deprived the helpless victim of any opportunity to put up a decent defense. The attack was executed by the accused-appellant so viciously that a defense was virtually impossible.”
Ivler shot Ebarle along Santolan Road in Quezon City. Ebarle was hit on the chest and both arms, leading to his instant death.
His mother, Marlene Aguilar, hid Ivler in their house until authorities launched a brief siege that led to his arrest./PN
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
