Alleged gunman in Enzo Pastor slay backtracks

PO2 Edgar Angel, the alleged gunman in the killing of Enzo Pastor. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Police Officer 2 Edgar Angel, the alleged gunman in Enzo Pastor’s slay, on Monday recanted his earlier statement that he killed the race car driver, saying he was just a fall guy.

In his counter-affidavit submitted to the Department of Justice, Angel said contrary to the police’s pronouncement, he was not arrested in Libis but in Pasig.

He said he was arrested on Aug. 23 at Metro Walk in Pasig by members of the Quezon City Police, and was detained in Camp Karingal in Quezon City. However, no illegal drugs were found on him.

“I received bodily blows, (was) brought at Camp Karingal and (they) impounded my father’s car. I was detained without any charges,” he said.

On the same day, he said he was brought by the police on Boni Serrano Road, Brgy. Libis, Quezon City where a stage-managed buy bust operation was conducted.

“How could have I sold, transported and delivered ‘shabu’ (Methamphetamine hydrochloride) at Barangay Libis, Quezon City to the same arresting officers when…I was already arrested and handcuffed at Metro Walk, Pasig City and was already detained in Camp Karingal,” Angel said.

He said the police have prepared an “extra-judicial confession” about his alleged participation in the killing of Pastor. Two lawyers from the Public Attorney’s Office refused to assist him after he insisted that he has no knowledge of the killing.

Then, he said he was brought to the Quezon City Hall to a certain Atty. Lumantao of Quezon City Integrated Bar of the Philippines.

“Dahil natakot ako sa pulis na ipasyal ako pagbalik ng Camp Karingal, wala na po akong magagawa,” Angel said.

(Because I got scared that the police might take me somewhere once I return to Camp Karingal, I was not able to do anything.)

He said the police threatened him that they would either heap all unsolved crimes in Quezon City to him or he will be killed in the guise of an event where he snatched a gun from the police and attempted to escape.

“That right at the very start when I was under the custody of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (CIDU) some police elements of the office told me blankly that if I did not cooperate, all the unsolved crimes in Quezon City will be heaped on me, at kulang na lang sabihin nila na ako ang pumatay kay Magellan. Or ipasyal daw nila ako na ang ibig sabihin na babarilin nila ako na kunwari ako’y umagaw ng kanilang baril at lumaban (They were practically blaming me for Magellan’s death. They told me that they were going to take me somewhere which meant that they would kill me and make it appear that I took their gun),” Angel said.

While he admitted links with Domingo “Sandy’ De Guzman III, the alleged mastermind in Pastor’s death, he said it was the police who cooked up the story in this extrajudicial confession. He said his only link to De Guzman was that his wife was a classmate of De Guzman’s wife.

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