Murder filed vs 16 PNP officers over Ozamiz gang leaders’ slay

MANILA, Philippines—The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Thursday filed a complaint for two counts of murder against 16 police officers involved in the death of leaders of the notorious Ozamiz crime syndicate.

Named in the complaint before the San Pedro Laguna Prosecutors Office are Superintendent Danilo Mendoza, Senior Inspector Fernando Cardona, Senior Inspector Manuel Magat, Inspector Efrel Oco, Senior Police Officer 1 Jason Semacas, Senior Police Officer 1 Joseph Ortega, SPO1 Genaro De Gala, PO3 Marvin Mjia, PO3 Ramill Gonzales, PO3 Sherwin Bulan, PO3 Gerardo Tugot, PO2 Eduardo Cruz, PO2 Kristofferson Reyes, PO2 Exiel Reyes, PO2 Conrado Bautista and PO1 Ryan Rey Gado.

Among the evidence gathered by the NBI was the testimony of Tugot, one of the police who was with the victims Rick Cadavero alias Kambal and Wilfredo Panogalinga alias Kulot when they were killed.

Tugot claimed that there was no commotion inside the van where Cadavero and Panogalinga were boarded, as claimed by the other police officers, which led to their shooting.

The policemen claimed that an ambush incident took place, perpetrated by motorcycle-riding armed men.

“He not only disclaimed any commotion inside the van immediately prior to the shooting of the victims but also stated that it was Magat who instructed him to fire at the van’s windshield and right front tire to make it appear that an ambush occurred and to support their claim that Cadavero and Panogalinga attempted escape,” the complaint stated.

Other evidence considered by the NBI include medico-legal findings, analysis of bullet trajectories and video footages that showed that the victims’ hands were handcuffed from behind casting doubts on the police claim that they attempted to take the police’s service firearm.

Cadavero escaped last December. He was sentenced to serve 67 years for a string of robbery-holdups in Metro Manila in 2011 and 2012. He was rearrested last Friday. Then, Cadavero and his companion were killed last July after they came from the Dasmariñas Prosecutors Office where they were slapped with a case for evasion of service of sentence and illegal possession of firearms.

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