By Martin A. Sadongdong
A man accused of killing a saleslady and robbing a boutique in Lucena City, Quezon in 2017 has been convicted for robbery with homicide, the Philippine National Police-Region 4-A (Calabarzon or Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon) said yesterday.
Jomar Aganan, 24, of Masbate, was sentenced to 12 years and one day as minimum and 17 years and one day as maximum in jail by Judge Romeo S. Buenaventura, Presiding Judge of the Lucena Regional Trial Court Branch 59.
Aganan admitted killing Vheanca Punzalan, 19, a saleslady, who was discovered a few steps away from the comfort room of the Baby Owl Boutique on M.H. del Pilar corner Cabana Sts., Barangay 3, last Nov. 17.
Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar, PRO 4-A director, said Punzalan’s body was discovered half-naked from the waist down. She also had a knife stuck on her right eye when she was found.
Aganan was ordered to pay P250,000 for actual damages, civil indemnity, moral damages, and temperate damages by the court.
Eleazar said Aganan was arrested last March 7 or four months after the incident for theft but later admitted to killing Punzalan.
He was presented to the media in a press conference last May 17 at the Quezon Police Provincial Office in Camp Guillermo Nakar in Lucena, Eleazar added.
“Investigators conducted back tracking of the case, reviewed collected CCTV footages, and validated revelations of the suspect as to his actions after the incident,” Eleazar said.
“He was escorted to the crime scene and he was able to clearly illustrate on what happened during the incident and this was supported by the footages and information gathered by the investigators,” he said.
Aganan also revealed that his initial intention was to rob the establishment but when the victim resisted, he stabbed her. “He also admitted of being under the influence of rugby,” Eleazar added.
