Cavite prosecutor won’t inhibit from case of Bae’s aide

Children play Saturday Jan. 5, 2013, at a neighborhood where a gunman later identified as Ronald Bae went on a shooting rampage on Friday, in Kawit, Cavite province. The drug-crazed Bae who killed eight people and wounded 12 others owned two powerful assault rifles and a handgun, an official of the Philippine National Police said on Sunday. AP PHOTO/BULLIT MARQUEZ

MANILA, Philippines—Cavite Provincial Prosecutor Emmanuel Velasco on Monday said he will not inhibit from the formal investigation of the man behind the shooting spree in Kawit, Cavite that left several people dead.

“I will not inhibit in this case. There is no conflict of interest,” Velasco told reporters Monday.

Reports earlier said that Ronald Bae, the gunman was a security aide of Velasco’s father, former National Bureau of Investigation Director and Cavite Governor Epimaco Velasco.

But the young Velasco denied this claim.

“He (Bae) was never an aide of my dad. It was his father Rodolfo who served as security aide of dad during his term as governor. His brother Rodel also became an aide, but not Ronald,” he explained.

Velasco assured that he will be objective in resolving the case involving John Paul Lopez, Bae’s caretaker who allegedly helped Bae in his shooting spree.

Lopez was brought to Velasco’s office in Imus for inquest proceedings on charges of multiple murder and frustrated murder.