“[Gonzales’] death was caused by [Hocog’s] blow and not because of the fall,” Detective Simon Manacop, a government witness, told the Superior Court during questioning by a prosecutor.
Associate Judge David Wiseman yesterday found probable cause to believe that Hocog may have committed the charges filed against him.
The Attorney General’s Office has charged Hocog, 22, with one count of murder in the second degree, one count of voluntary manslaughter, one count of aggravated assault, and one count of assault and battery.
Wiseman remanded Hocog to the custody of the Department of Corrections and set the arraignment for March 22.
The court earlier imposed a $100,000 bail on Hocog who was arrested on March 4. On the same day, Gonzales, 37, died at the Commonwealth Health Center three days after being in a coma.
During yesterday’s preliminary hearing, Assistant Attorneys General Brian Gallagher and Rosemond Santos represented the government while Assistant Public Defender Richard Miller appeared on behalf of Hocog.
Gonzales’ relatives in the Philippines have expressed confidence in the CNMI justice system.
The victim’s brothers, Edwin, and Eric, said their parents in Pinamalayan, Mindoro Oriental, an island province south of Manila, were having mixed emotions upon learning that their brothers remains were expected to arrive in Manila tomorrow night.
“Our mother is always crying. She can’t sleep. She is relieved in a way because she was told that Larry’s remains would soon be coming home,” Eric Gonzales said in a phone interview.
During the preliminary hearing, Officer Joseph Magofna and Detective Manacop were the government witnesses.
Magofna was dispatched by the Department of Public Safety after a disturbance incident near Kagman High School was reported in the afternoon of March 1, 2010.
Manacop also conducted a follow-up investigation.
Magofna, for his part, said a juvenile told him that Larry Gonzales blacked out after Hocog punched the victim.
Manacop told the court that Hocog’s punch was fatal for Larry Gonzales, based on the autopsy report.
During Miller’s cross examination, Manacop said Hocog punched Larry Gonzales only once to his left cheek.
Asked by Miller about the autopsy report indicating that Gonzales died due to brain contusion and laceration as a result of blunt trauma, Manacop said the affected area was the front portion of the victim’s brain.
