11 charged for ambush try on NBI official

FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Attempted murder charges have been filed in the Manila Regional Trial Court against 11 people for the 2012 ambush of Reynaldo Esmeralda, deputy director of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

The respondents in the case include the alleged mastermind, Tyrone Ong, Ronnie Ong, retired police officer Perfecto Villanueva, alleged gunman Teodoro Abendaño, Gerry Farillon, Jose Maglalang, and supposed lookouts Aljun and Alvin Monticlaros, Ramoso Ramos, Ricky Dacillo and Alfredo Compoc.

The Department of Justice, which conducted the preliminary investigation, has dropped former NBI Director Magtanggol Gatdula and Tyrone Ong’s driver Gino Eustaquio from the case for lack of probable cause.

Ong is currently detained for graft and malversation charges for ghost repairs and maintenance of V-150 armored vehicles.

Gatdula was accused of ordering the hit on Esmeralda in connection with the DOJ case against Gatdula for alleged kidnapping and extortion of Japanese Noriyo Ohara.

Esmeralda and his brother, Police Officer 3 Nilo Esmeralda, survived the ambush on Feb. 21, 2012, when two men on a motorcycle fired on their vehicle along Apacible Street in Paco, Manila.

Abendaño was later identified as the gunman while Dacillo was the driver of the motorcycle.

Abendaño, Villanueva, Ramos, Aljun and Alvin Monticlaros, Maglalang and Compoc eventually gave a detailed account of their participation in the crime, the DOJ panel of prosecutors said in the resolution.

The statements consistently showed that they had planned the commission of the crime and said Tyrone and Ronnie Ong, Farillon and Dacillo participated in planning the hit, the resolution said.

Investigation showed that Ronnie Ong organized the group while Tyrone Ong gave P200,000 to fund the commission of the crime. Ong has denied any participation in the crime.

Bail was set at P120,000 for each respondent.

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