Jason Ivler convicted of murder six years after road rage shooting

Ivler is led out of the Quezon City RTC after he was found guilty and sentenced to reclusion perpetua.

(Updated 5:18 p.m.) Jason Ivler was sentenced to a maximum of 40 years of in prison after he was found "guilty beyond reasonable doubt" for murder in connection with the road rage shooting of the son of a former Palace official in 2009.

"Wherefore, in light of the foregoing considerations, the Court...finds accused Jason Ivler y Aguilar guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the crime of murder and hereby sentence him to suffer the penalty of imprisonment of reclusion perpetua," the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 84 said in a 48-page ruling promulgated on Nov. 24.

The ruling promulgated by Judge Luisito G. Cortez was read before Ivler inside the courtroom Tuesday afternoon.

Ivler was quiet and staring blankly during the proceedings.

He also lingered in his seat after hearing the court's promulgation before leaving the courtroom amid heavy security escort.

"For this [case] I am not guilty...They said in court it is automatically appealed," Ivler said in a brief interview on his way out of the QC Hall of Justice building.

The murder case against Ivler stemmed from the death of Renato Victor Ebarle Jr., son of former Presidential chief of staff Renato Ebarle Sr. Ivler allegedly shot Ebarle Jr. dead in a traffic altercation on November 18, 2009.

Aside from reclusion perpetua or a minimum of 40 years of imprisonment, Ivler was also ordered to pay the Ebarle family a total of P9.373-million for civil damages.

The total cost of damages was comprised of P9.124-million worth of lost earnings due to the victim’s death, P143,980 for burial expenses; P75,000 for moral damages and P30,000 for exemplary damages.

The court also ordered Ivler’s transfer from the Quezon City Jail Annex in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig to the Bilibid National Penitentiary in Muntinlupa City.

The ruling said the case is considered automatically appealed by the defense before the Court of Appeals.

“Considering the automatic appeal, the Court orders the Branch Clerk of Court to prepare all the records and transmittal within reasonable time and furnished all counsel a copy thereof before the records are forwarded to the Hon. Court of Appeals,” the ruling read.

In its ruling, the court gave weight on the eye-witness accounts of former Senior Police Officer 3 Edgar Tiodin and private individual Archie Castillo, who both positively identified Ivler as the one who shot Ebarle Jr.

“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 or implicate the accused to a serious crime of murder,” the ruling read.

“Their detailed narrations of what transpired on the night of November 18, 2009 in the place of the shooting incident show the manner on how the victim Renato Ebarle Jr. was killed. In this case, the testimony of one witness corroborate the other witness’ testimony,” the court added.

The court said that aside from the witnesses’ accounts, the prosecution was also able to present other corroborative evidence “imputing the commission of the crime to the accused”.

Among the strong corroborative evidence that the court cited, was an NBI ballistic examination result showing that the bullets recovered from the car and the body of the victim came from a caliber 45 Kimber gun with serial number MJ59102 seized from Ivler when he was arrested by a team from the National Bureau of

Investigation (NBI) on Jan. 18, 2010 at the house of his mother Marlene Aguilar in a subdivision in Quezon City.

“The Court takes note of the fact that the person subject of arrest warrant is only accused Jason Ivler who was found alone in the basement and without any other person that will raised doubt of the pistol’s possession,” the court said.

Ebarle Sr. happy but still can't face Ivler

Ebarle Sr. who awaited the court’s ruling at a nearby restaurant, expressed joy over the court’s ruling, though admitted that he wishes for the ultimate penalty of death.

“Masaya ako, though it was an agonizing long-drawn case. But we are satisfied with the outcome. That will strengthen my belief in our judicial system,” Ebarle Sr. said.

Ebarle said he opted not to attend the court’s promulgation as he cannot yet face Ivler.

“We are taught to forgive, but as a father, you should understand yung suffering na dinaanan ng family namin – the emotional and mental pain. Hindi mo basta basta masasabi na mapapatawad mo yung tao. Hindi ko pa nga siya kayang makita,” Ebarle Sr. said.

“My only regret is there is no more death penalty now. I’m quite certain kung meron tayong death penalty, the court will render a death penalty sentence to him,” he added.

Meanwhile, Ivler’s uncle, singer Freddie Aguilar, who attended the promulgation, said they respect the court’s ruling but their camp will do everything to overturn it before the CA.

“Siyempre nalulungkot tayo, pero iginagalang natin ang desisyon ng hukuman. Si Jason naman handa naman siya kung ano man ang maging desisyon. In fact binulungan niya pa nga ako before habang nakaupo siya, bago siya lumabas [ng courtroom]. Sabi niya ‘it’s okay tito, we will appeal the case’,” Aguilar said. —NB, GMA News