Ivler gets life for killing ex-Palace official’s son

Manila — Jason Aguilar Ivler, former member of the US Army and nephew of folk singer Freddie Aguilar, was convicted of murder yesterday for the killing of the son of a former Palace official in what was described as a road rage shooting in 2009.

Judge Luisito Cortez of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 84 sentenced Ivler to reclusion perpetua or imprisonment of up to 40 years for the death of Renato Victor Ebarle Jr. The court also ordered Ivler to pay the victim’s heir a total of P9.37 million in damages.

Aguilar spoke to Ivler shortly after the decision was handed down. He tapped the shoulder of his 33-year-old nephew before Ivler was escorted out amid the jostling cameramen and photojournalists.

“Tito, it’s okay. Don’t worry about me,” Aguilar quoted Ivler. The singer said Ivler asked him to come to the promulgation. Ivler’s mother, Marlene Aguilar, was not around.

“He (Ivler) apologized because my name is being dragged in this issue. I said nobody wanted this to happen and the truth will come out,” Aguilar said.

A policeman and another eyewitness identified Ivler in open court, testifying that he came out of his car and shot Ebarle after blocking the latter’s car in front of barangay Valencia Hall in Santolan, Quezon City, around 11 p.m. on Nov. 18, 2009.

Ebarle, then 27 and a human resources officer at Manila Peninsula, was the son and namesake of presidential chief of staff and undersecretary Renato Ebarle Sr.

Members of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption attended the promulgation.

Based on court record, part-time model Archie Castillo described the assailant as tall, good-looking, semi-kalbo, with good build and tattoos.

Castillo was waiting for a ride home when he witnessed the shooting.

SPO3 Edgar Tiodin said he left Camp Crame around 11 p.m. and proceeded to Boni Serrano Avenue to buy soft drinks at a convenience store.

Tiodin said a blue car, apparently the assailant’s, sped past his vehicle and overtook a gray car (the victim’s Toyota Cruiser).

A taxi, however, was in the path of the blue car, allowing the gray Toyota to pull ahead. The blue car went ahead and blocked the gray Toyota in front of the barangay hall where the shooting happened.

Tiodin said he tried to chase the assailant in the blue car with Plate No. 20903 but lost him in a slum area in New Manila.

Ivler was arrested in 2010 after shooting it out with agents of the National Bureau of Investigation in his mother’s residence in Blue Ridge, Quezon City. He pleaded not guilty to the murder charge.

Cortez is the third judge to handle the case after the two previous judges were asked by the defense to inhibit.

Ivler took the witness stand on June 9 this year, claiming that he was with his cousins that night and they went to a friend’s birthday party in Makati City. Diana Zandi, a defense witness, presented photos and said Ivler arrived at her party 10:30 p.m. of Nov. 18, 2009.

“The court finds that foregoing testimonies of witnesses SPO3 Tiodin and Castillo should be given full credence absent any taint of ill-motive on their part to fabricate stories,” the decision said.

NBI ballistic examiner Ronan Masacupan also testified that the .45-Cal. Kimber pistol recovered from Ivler when he was arrested was the same pistol used to shoot Ebarle.

“The court is simply not persuaded by (Ivler’s) alibi,” the decision said.

The court ordered the branch clerk to prepare the records for the automatic appeal. Ivler’s preventive detention since January 2010 will be credited to his sentence.

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