By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

One of the two suspects in the murder of an American citizen last month in Silay City has been cleared of charges.

Silay City police chief, Police Superintendent Noel Polines, said the suspects, identified as 40-year-old Gilbert Apellido and 18-year-old Neil Brian Corseno, were brought to the city’s fiscal’s office for inquest proceedings.

During the proceedings, Polines said Corseno was cleared of charges after it was determined he had no direct involvement in the death of 57-year-old Eric Hendrickson, a resident of Saint Francis Village in the said city.

However, prosecutors found enough evidence to proceed with murder charges against Apellido, who was identified as the gunman in the incident.

Last month, Hendrickson was shot dead after he reportedly refused to give beer to Apellido.

Hendrickson was rushed to the city’s Teresita Lopez Jalandoni Provincial Hospital for treatment, but he was declared dead on arrival by hospital staff.

Apellido was later arrested after Silay City police conducted a follow-up operation.

The Prosecutor’s Office later released Corseno from police custody after investigations found he was not directly involved in the incident./DGB, WDJ