NBI: Mayor’s killing murder, not homicide

Ronaldo Aquino —PHOTO FROM CALBAYOG CITY INFORMATION OFFICE FACEBOOK PAGE

MANILA, Philippines — While Philippine National Police chief Guillermo Eleazar vowed not to shield the policemen involved, the charges filed by the police would likely complicate the prosecution of the March 8 killing of Calbayog City Mayor Ronaldo Aquino.

Eleazar made the pledge as the National Bureau of Investigation filed murder, or premeditated killing, charges against nine policemen involved in the incident that resulted in the death of Aquino and three companions.

The charges differed from the homicide, or unintentional killing, raps the Eastern Visayas regional police filed on April 16 against Police Lt. Col. Harry Sucayre, Police Maj. Shyrile Tan, Police Lt. Julio Armeza Jr. and several John Does.

The police claimed the mayor was on his way to the birthday celebration of his son, Ronald Mark Aquino, at their private resort when they were fired at from a vehicle that was trailing them. The trailing vehicle carried the policemen.

Official reports invented

The police later filed murder charges against Ronald Mark Aquino for firing at two policemen, but Ronald denied the charge, saying he was at the resort that was still 15 minutes away.

The NBI, on the other hand, filed murder charges against Sucayre, Tan and Armeza, as well as Police Capt. Dino Goles, Police Staff Sergeants Neil Cebu and Edsel Omega, and police officers Nino Salem, Julius Armesa and Randy Merelos.

All nine and the other suspects were also charged with frustrated murder of Mansfield Labonite, Aquino’s assistant, who was the lone survivor.

Citing the statement of Labonite and several video footage, the NBI filed the cases against the nine policemen a day after Police Master Sgt. Jose Jay Senario told a Senate hearing that he had invented official reports linking the slain mayor to the illegal drug trade.

Differing charges At the Senate hearing, Sen. Panfilo Lacson questioned the differing charges filed by the police and the NBI and suggested it might result in a complicated case.

According to the NBI, complications were among their reasons for delaying the filing of the case.

“The NBI has not filed so that they could not invoke their right not to incriminate themselves,” NBI Eastern Visayas Regional Director Jerry Abiera told senators.

When Lacson suggested it might complicate the case, Abiera replied: “That’s likely, sir.”

But Antonio Pagatpat, the NBI deputy director for regional services, on Friday said the testimonies of other eyewitnesses supported the digital and forensic evidence gathered by NBI investigators, who dismissed the policemen’s claim that the incident was a “shootout.”

“It was an ambush. That’s the official stand of our Eastern Visayas District Office,” Pagatpat said. INQ