CONTROVERSIAL police officer Adonis Dumpit was sentenced to six to nine years and four months of imprisonment for the shooting death of a 17-year-old robbery suspect in Cebu City nearly a decade ago.
Judge Ester Veloso of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 6 in Cebu City lowered the murder charges filed against Dumpit to homicide, saying the prosecution failed to prove that there was “treachery and use of superior strength” on the police officer’s part when he shot Ronron Allosada Go in barangay Tejero on Dec, 14, 2004.
Dumpit was tagged in the killing of three other criminal suspects and wounding of at least a dozèn more since the late 90s.
In her ruling, Judge Veloso took into consideration the testimony of the prosecution witness which said that Dumpit warned the victim not to run before he fired a shot. “It cannot be said that the assault was sudden and unexpected.”
The victim was sufficiently warned thereby proving that the accused didn’t employ means to ensure that the victim couldn’t defend himself,” Veloso said. Veloso said while Dumpit didn’t kill Go on purpose, he isn’t free of criminal liability.
The judge ruled out Dumpit’s claim of self-defense saying it wasn’t supported by evidence. Sporting shoulder-length hair, Dumpit was unmoved and even relaxed when the verdict was read to him by the court interpreter at past 8 a.m. early today.
The promulgation lasted two minutes as Judge Veloso ordered that only the dispositive portion of her ruling be read in open court.