6 Batangas cops charged with murder

BATANGAS CITY, Philippines—Six police officers have been charged with murder before the provincial prosecutor’s office here in connection with the death of a fellow policeman, who was killed Friday in an alleged shootout.

Superintendent Arcadio Ronquillo, Batangas police information officer, said Wednesday that the widow of Senior Police Officer 1 Alejandro Samarita filed murder charges on Monday against SPO2 Ruel Dimaano, SPO1 Eddie Baustista, PO2 Rolando Rallos, PO2 Edwin Morete, PO1 John Fajutag and PO1 Robert Balita.

The accused police officers, except for Dimaano, who was wounded in the supposed shootout with Samarita, have been disarmed and detained at the Batangas Provincial Jail, said Ronquillo.

Samarita, 47, was killed at around 5 p.m. on April 1 after he traded shots with fellow members of the San Juan police. The shootout allegedly occurred following a heated argument between Samarita and Dimaano after the latter refused the request of Samarita that he be given custody of his godson, a Ronnie Valdez, who was arrested on April 1 for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.

Initial police investigation showed only Samarita and Dimaano traded shots but the slain policeman’s family believed the other policemen were involved. Samarita had multiple bullet wounds in the body while Dimaano sustained a gunshot wound in the leg. Samarita was rushed to Doque General Hospital in San Juan, Batangas but was pronounced dead on arrival.

Chief Superintendent Samuel Pagdilao Jr., Calabarzon police director, on Saturday ordered the relief of Superintendent Jonathan Tangonan as San Juan police and assigned Superintendent Isagani Fetizanan as officer in charge. Samarita was a member of San Juan police for 19 years; Dimaano for 22 years; Baustista, 11 years; Rallos, 7 years. Morete, Fajutag and Balita have only been in the service for two months.