The Department of Justice secured the conviction of a sound and lights technician responsible for the death of a farmer who was electrocuted during his neighbor’s wedding celebration in 2011 in Rosales, Pangasinan.

In an eight-page Decision, the Rosales, Pangasinan Municipal Trial Court sentenced Artemio Imperial to suffer four months to two years, ten months and 20 days imprisonment. He was likewise ordered to pay the heirs of the victim, Ludivico Dumo, a total of Php107,500 for funeral expenses and damages for Reckless Imprudence Resulting in Homicide (Article 365 of the Revised Penal Code).

Imperial was engaged by a couple to set up lights and sound system and to render photography services on their wedding.

During trial, the prosecution presented as witnesses those who were present during the wedding celebration.

The witnesses testified that during the event some of them who accidentally touched the iron pipes that were holding the northern side of the tent set up for the celebration were slightly electrocuted but luckily did not sustain any injuries. They informed the operators of the sound system about the incident but nothing was done about it.

They also observed that the tent “was made of assembled iron pipes with canvass cover with electrical wires connected and pierced with clothes’ pins and that small amount of rain was sloping down the iron pipe holding the tent.”

They also stated that an hour later, Dumo came out of their kitchen which was adjacent to the venue of the wedding celebration. He accidentally touched the pole of the tent and was electrocuted. Dumo was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead on arrival.