Slain UST alum laid to rest in Las Piñas; Parents call for reimposition of death penalty

From gmanetwork.com:

Nov. 6, 2012

Nearly a week after she was found dead with 49 stab wounds, University of Santo Tomas honor student Cyrish Magalang was finally laid to rest in Las Piñas City Tuesday afternoon.

Relatives and friends were emotional at the funeral, with Cyrish’s mother Milagros fainting. The kin and friends had attended a Mass for her in Bacoor in Cavite province earlier in the day.

The funeral convoy left Bacoor before 2 p.m. and arrived at the Golden Haven Memorial Park shortly before 3 p.m., radio dzBB’s Manny Vargas reported.

The funeral procession was about 300 meters long, with police and motorcycle organizations and civic groups in front, the report said.

Bystanders at the streets watched the funeral procession, some taking photos and others leaving messages of condolence, the report added.

Cavite police secured the chapel where a Mass was held for Magalang, who was found dead last week with 49 stab wounds.

Police have filed charges against brothers Rolin and Roel Gacita Jr. for the killing. Only Rolin admitted to killing Cyrish.

Both brothers sought forgiveness from Cyrish’s parents but failed to get it.

The killing prompted anti-crime groups to call for the reimposition of the death penalty, but Malacañang and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines thumbed down such calls.

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police said it has no official stand on the matter of reimposing the death penalty.

PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Generoso Cerbo Jr. said the PNP will follow the law that Congress will pass, dzBB’s Tuesday Niu reported. — RSJ, GMA News