Marantan, 10 cops in ‘Atimonan massacre’ out on bail

A member of the National Bureau of Investigation forensic team examines marks left by a hail of bullets that hit this SUV and another vehicle, and killed all 13 onboard, including police officers and soldiers in January 2013 in what is now called the Atimonan rubout. (File Photo by RAFFY LERMA/Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Supt. Hansel Marantan, the principal accused in the 2013 rubout incident in Atimonan, Quezon province, has been freed from the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center after he and 10 other co-accused were granted bail by the court.

PNP spokesperson Senior Supt. Dionardo Carlos said Marantan and 10 others detained in the detention facility inside Camp Crame left at 9 p.m. on Thursday.

Marantan posted P300,000 bail through Plaridel Surety and Insurance Company on Thursday.

Others who posted bail were Chief Insp. Grant Gollod, Senior Inspectors John Paolo Carracedo and Timoteo Orig, Senior Police Officer (SPO) 3 Joselito de Guzman, SPO1 Carlo Cataquiz and Arturo Sarmiento, PO3 Eduardo Oronan, PO2 Nelson Indal and PO1 Wryan Sardea and Rodel Talento.

READ: Court allows cops in Atimonan rubout case to post bail

Marantan was then deputy intelligence chief of the Calabarzon regional police when he led the police operation against alleged “jueteng” operator Vic Siman in 2013.

Siman and twelve others, including environmentalist Jun Lontok, were killed when they passed through a checkpoint manned by police and soldiers along Maharlika Highway in Atimonan on January 6, 2013.

READ: Marantan, 12 others slapped with multiple murder raps over Quezon ‘rubout’

Marantan said Siman’s group shot at the government troops when they were flagged down in a checkpoint. The police claimed it was a shootout but the National Bureau of Investigation said it was a rubout. IDL/rga