Iligan City Representative Frederick Siao on Tuesday appealed to government prosecutors to not let Jonel Nuezca use “insanity” as his defense for killing Sonya and Frank Gregorio to death in December last year.
Siao said it could be expected that the killer cop would push for an insanity defense in court given the fact that he pleaded not guilty to double murder.
“Nuezca’s lawyers will try to put forward the insanity defense. They will try to convince the public that Nuezca ‘lost his mind,’ had a ‘psychotic episode,’ or ‘nagdilim ang paningin’ moments before he shot in the head and instantly killed Sonya Gregorio and Frank Gregorio,” he said.
He added Nuezca’s lawyers could use eyewitness testimony or present a psychologist or even a pastor to state a compassionate assessment of the dismissed cop’s mental health.
The lawmaker also said Nuezca’s camp may even use “nagdilim ang paningin” defense.
“In my view Nuezca and his lawyers will fail at their insanity defense,” he said.
Jonel Nuezca will use ‘insanity’ as defense in court – solon suspects
“I hope our government prosecutors will be ready to assail and demolish the insanity defense Nuezca’s lawyers will mount,” he added.
The killer cop recently filed a not guilty plea in the murder case filed against him after he was caught on video shooting dead two of his neighbors in Paniqui, Tarlac in December.
Jonel Nuezca did not actually appear in court because he is currently in a 21-day quarantine at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology facility in Paniqui.
Through the video conference, Nuezca was charged with two counts of murder for the murder of Sonia and Frank Anthony Gregorio.
Jonel Nuezca’s lawyer attended the arraignment, as did the victim’s family and lawyer.
The next hearing in the case is on February 4 where Nuezca is expected to be physically present.
According to Attorney of the Philippines, “Insanity is the best defense for an individual to avoid criminal liability. However, there are some conditions that must be taken into consideration. An insane person under Paragraph 1, Article 1 of the Revised Penal Code of the Philippines, the person is exempt from criminal liability if he or she acted during lucid interval. There should be clear and convincing evidence to prove the defendant’s insanity.”