The Department of Justice (DOJ) has provisionally admitted to the Witness Protection Program (WPP) security guard Dexter Carlos, the father whose family members were killed in a gruesome massacre in San Jose Del Monte City in Bulacan last June 27.
Carlos will be given government protection to ensure his safety while the massacre case of his family is being investigated and the perpetrators are still being identified by the police and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
Carlos’ provisional admission to the WPP is contained in a certificate signed by Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre dated July 7, 2017.
On Thursday, Aguirre met with Dexter Carlos at the DOJ to determine assistance that the government could give him and his relatives.
“Losing one’s family to criminals is a very hard experience for anyone, we should help him get the justice he deserves… The Department of Justice is more than willing to extend any assistance that he may need in getting justice for what was done to his family,” the DOJ chief said.
Apart from security under the WPP, Carlos was also given legal assistance by the Public Attorney’s Office.
Earlier this week, Aguirre ordered the NBI to conduct a parallel probe on the massacre.
Two days after the incident, police arrested 26-year-old construction worker Carmelino Ibañez who reportedly confessed to killing all five victims using knife from the house and raping Carlos’ wife and mother-in-law while he was drunk and high on shabu.
READ: Bulacan massacre suspect: ‘I killed them all’
Investigators said Ibañez was in a drinking session with two friends identified only as alias Tony and alias Inggo before the incident.
But the suspect, who claimed he was alone in committing the crime, later on tested negative for drug use and eventually recanted his admission and claimed he was only tortured by the police to own up to the crime.
Two other suspects reportedly tagged by Ibañez, namely Rolando Pacinos alias “Inggo” and Rosevelt Sorima, were killed in a vigilante-type murder. JPV/rga
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