NBI files murder raps against cops involved in Abra checkpoint shootout

MANILA, Philippines —  The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Thursday announced the filing of murder charges against several officers of the Philippine National Police (PNP) involved in the shootout between Pilar, Abra Vice Mayor Jaja Josefina Disono’s security team and local officers, leaving one individual dead.

The NBI also said it filed charges for Perjury and Incriminating an Innocent Person against the police officers.

The said gunbattle killed one of Disono’s security aides identified as Sandee Boy Bermudo.

The police officers charged with murder and perjury were identified as:

• PNP-CAR Regional Director PBGEN Ronald Lee;
• PNP-Abra Provincial Director POL Maly Castillo Cula;
• Abra Provincial Intelligence Unit Chief PLTCOL Melencio Mina;
• Pilar-MPS Acting Chief of Police PCPT Ronaldo Eslabra;
• PT Boyd Leeson Dom-Oguen Kis-Ing;
• PAT Frenzel Paus Alperez;
• PCPL Allan Dale Sabiano;
• PCPL Joedel Jove;
• PCPL Ariel Felipe;
• PAT Pietro Delmar Aveño;
• PMS Sandy Claveria;
• PCPL Chrisler D. Lucas;
• Comelec election officer Rodrigo Basa II;
• as well as several other unidentified police officers assigned at Regional Mobile Force Battalion 15;
• several other unidentified police officers assigned at Pilar Municipal Police Station (MPS);
• and Several Unidentified Police Officers assigned at the Provincial Intelligence Unit, Abra Provincial Police Office.

According to the NBI, the charges stemmed from the results of an investigation conducted by the NBI-NCR that revealed that the convoy of Disono was deliberately fired upon by the involved police officers.

“Thus, based on the evidences gathered, the NBI-NCR recommends the filing of Murder charges against the above named subject. In addition to the Murder charges, Perjury and Incriminating an Innocent Person were also filed against PLT. Kis-Ing, PCPL Sabiniano, PAT. Aveño, PCPL Jove, and PAT Alperez,” said the NBI.

The NBI explained that police initially claimed they were conducting a Comelec checkpoint along Berona Street, Pilar, Abra, when the shootout occured, however, CCTV footage gathered by the NBI showed that there was no visible checkpoint along the said area at the time.

PNP also claimed that its police vehicle, with marking “557″ was fired upon by one of the passengers of Disono’s convoy, “but based on the CCTV footage, the Police Mobile bearing the marking “557″ was seen pursuing the target van without a bullet hole and suddenly stopped pursuing the van,” said the NBI.

“Minutes later, the said Police Mobile suddenly showed up with [an] evident bullet hole in the front passenger,” it added.

The investigation was made following a complaint from Pilar Mayor Mark Ronald Somera, Disono, and the sister of the deceased victim, Bermudo.

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JPV