A policeman who shot dead an unarmed mother and his son in a viral video late last year has been convicted of murder and sentenced to jail time of up to 40 years.
Dismissed police officer Jonel Nuezca was convicted for two counts of murder for the death Sonya Rufino Gregorio, 52, and Frank Anthony Rufino Gregorio, 25, and was meted with the penalty of reclusion perpetua or up to 40 years imprisonment on both cases.
Nuezca was also ordered to pay P476,280 in damages for each murder count or a total of P952,560 in damages.
He shot dead the Gregorios after an argument over the use of boga or improvised firecracker escalated and unearthed a long-standing dispute over right of way.
The incident was caught on video and went viral, stirring conversation on social media about killings and police brutality. Even President Rodrigo Duterte got wind of the crime, calling Nuezca "sick in the brain."
Nuezca was dismissed from the police force after the incident and had said that he regretted his actions.