Witness tags 2 QC cops in murder of street vendor

QUEZON CITY, Philippines – Two Quezon City policemen were charged on Friday with the murder of a street vendor who earlier filed a complaint against them.

This was after a witness positively identified Police Officer 3 Allan Formilleza and Police Officer 2 Clifford Fagsao—both members of the Batasan police station—as the ones who killed Ramil Atibagos.

The 34-year-old Atibagos was shot dead in broad daylight by two motorcycle-riding men as he was selling fried quail eggs near a footbridge at the corner of Commonwealth and Luzon Avenues in Quezon City on Sept. 7.

Case investigator PO1 Julius Raz said that Atibagos had filed a complaint against the two policemen for robbery, illegal arrest, physical injury, grave threats and violation of domicile.

In a sworn statement, Atibagos’ brother, Randy, said he was just a few yards away when his brother was shot, adding that he was able to recognize the two policemen as his brother’s killers.

It was only on Sept. 11, however, that he came forward and tagged the suspects as he was afraid of them, Randy told the police.

He said that he saw the motorcycle stop near his brother. One of the riders, whom Randy identified as Fagsao, got off the vehicle and shot the victim.

Randy added that his brother tried to run away toward a hardware store but the gunman chased him and finished him off.

The police said that Atibagos and his wife had filed a case against the policemen after the suspects, along with other lawmen, barged into their house on July 22 in response to a distress call made by Atibagos’ half-brother, Alvin Duatin.

The victims accused the policemen of holding him and his family at gunpoint. Atibagos said he was handcuffed and beaten up and that the suspects took their cell phones. Randy said that after his brother filed the case, Fagsao threatened to kill him. Julie M. Aurelio