INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on Tuesday welcomed the revival of the case of the Spanish businessman killed in a drug bust three years ago, hoping that more cases of alleged extrajudicial killings during the previous administration would be processed in courts.
This developed after the Department of Justice (DOJ) revealed last week that three police officers involved in the death of Diego Bello Lafuente have surrendered to the police.
The DOJ said the three police officers who were presented to Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Feb. 9 were identified as Police Capt. Wise Vicente Panuelos and Police Sergeants Ronel Pazo and Nido Boy Cortes.
They are facing murder and planting of evidence charges at a court in Dapa, Surigao del Norte, over Lafuente’s killing on Jan. 8, 2020.
In 2022, then Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra found probable cause to file charges against the police officers. An arrest warrant was issued against them, but they were “nowhere to be found.”