Eyewitness identifies Ivler as Ebarle’s killer before QC court

A prosecution witness on Wednesday positively identified Jason Ivler as the killer of Renato Ebarle Jr., son of a former Malacañang official. Archie Castillo told Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 219 how a “tall, good-looking man with tattoo and semi-shaved hair" shot Ebarle during a traffic altercation along Boni Serrano Avenue in Quezon City in November 2009. Castillo later identified Ivler, who attended the murder trial in handcuffs, as the gunman. “May bumaba pong lalaki at agad lumapit sa hinarang niyang sasakyan, tapos nagpaputok po siya ng baril. Pinaputukan niya po ang driver ng sasakyan (A man came out of his vehicle, approached the vehicle that he blocked, and shot the driver of that vehicle)," Castillo testified. Castillo, who was on his way home from a modeling job on the night of the incident, said he clearly saw Ivler shoot Ebarle, son of former Presidential Chief of Staff Undersecretary Renato Ebarle Sr., because of the illumination provided by a street lamp. He said he was only three meters away from Ivler during the shooting. Castillo said he became numb with fear after witnessing the crime. When he recovered, he hailed a cab and went straight home. “Sobrang bilis po ng mga pangyayari. Nakatulala lang po ako roon. Wala po akong magawa (It happened so fast. I was numb with shock. I was not able to do anything)," he said. Ivler, who was clad in a yellow detainee shirt, shorts and slippers during the trial, casually listened to Castillo’s testimony, occasionally resting his head against a wall to take short naps. The defense panel will cross-examine Castillo when court proceedings on Ivler’s murder case resume next week. Ivler recently made headlines after photos of him supposedly drinking liquor and partying with women while in jail circulated in social networking sites. He denied the supposed special treatment, saying the photos were taken two years ago. The warden of the Quezon City Jail, where Ivler is currently detained, has already been relieved from his post. - KBK/HS, GMA News