Murder raps filed vs DPWH personnel for Zambo judge’s death

MANILA, Philippines — The Dipolog Provincial Prosecutor has filed a case for murder against a job-order personnel from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and two others for the death of Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte Regional Trial Court Branch 11 Judge Reymar L. Lacaya.

Lacaya was shot dead last May 9 in Liloy, Zamboanga del Norte.

READ: Zamboanga del Norte judge shot dead

Facing a case for murder are DPWH job-order personnel Juliver S. Cabating, as well as a certain Jerry and Ramil who were believed to be the hired killers.

The resolution was based on the complaint and pieces of evidence submitted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) consisting of affidavits of witnesses, documents, photographs and video footage.

“No one actually saw the bestial killing. The witnesses’ testimonies are merely aimed at establishing matters which are suggestive that herein respondents may be the authors of the criminal act,” read the resolution.

But the resolution pointed out that “direct evidence of the commission of a crime is not indispensable to criminal prosecutions.” The Rules on Evidence and Jurisprudence, the resolution pointed out, allows the conviction of an accused through circumstantial evidence provided that there is more than one circumstantial evidence, the facts where the inferences came from are proven, and it is enough to produce conviction beyond reasonable doubt.

In this case, investigation by the NBI showed that the gunmen was at an abandoned room near the parking space where the judge was killed. In the room, investigators found that some of the jalousies of the window have been removed and there were empty bullet casings inside.

CCTV footage, according to the resolution, showed that two men came out of the room after the incident carrying a firearm. The same men were caught on CCTV meeting Cabating prior to the incident.

Before the incident, the NBI said in its complaint that Cabating immediately went out of the court. A subpoena could not be served to Cabating because, according to the resolution, he can no longer be located.

The case has been filed before the Liloy Regional Trial Court.

The resolution was signed by Provincial Prosecutor Gabino Saavedra II. (Editor: Julie Espinosa)