AMBUSHED. Nelson Archival (left) watch as police forensic technicians examine the bullet-riddled vehicle of his brother, Noel Archival. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)
Noel Archival and his aides would have had outran their assailants approximately 3-5 minutes before they were waylaid in Dalaguete town, but a car believed to have been used by the gunmen’s cohorts blocked their way in the two-lane national highway.
Footage from the closed-circuit television cameras (CCTV) mounted on the town hall indicated that the assailants who were on board two vehicles – a red Toyota Vios and a metallic silver Toyota Hilux pick-up truck – have already boxed them in when they passed through at around 1:28 p.m last Feb. 18.
Agents of the National Bureau of Investigation who were tasked to probe the high-profile killing yesterday motored to Dalaguete town to secure a copy of the footage. They allowed the media, including Cebu Daily News, to view the images, but were disallowed from getting a copy.
The NBI team led by supervising agents Rennan Augustus Oliva and Jose Ermie Monsanto were tight-lipped when reporters tried to get a statement from them after viewing the footage at the Dalaguete Municipal Hall yesterday.
“We’re simply here to ask help from the mayor,” said Oliva whose group proceeded to Santander town where Archival and his companions boarded a Ford Escape SUV after getting off a ferry from Dumaguete City.
The footage showed Archival’s black SUV stopping infront of the municipal hall after a yellow Ceres bus, which was ahead of them, stopped to pick up or drop off passengers.
The red sedan, which was between the bus and Archival’s car, swerved to the center of the road and effectively blocked the opposite lane.
The move was apparently to prevent Archival’s group from overtaking and speeding away.
Minutes after the images were taken, gunfire rang out in the vicinity of barangay Coro and left Archival and a bodyguard lifeless inside the SUV.
Before that, a red pick-up truck was seen emerging from a street opposite the town hall and parked near the town police station.
Sources said the passengers of the red pick-up truck were the “blocking force” whose task is to engage or delay the policemen who would have been alerted by the shooting.
Just 20 seconds after Archival’s SUV and the two other vehicles passed by the municipal hall, a white pick up was seen going to the same direction with them.
This red pick-up truck left at 1:44 p.m. or two minutes after two men on board a motorcycle reported the incident to police officers who were on board a patrol car parked infront of the municipal hall.
Earlier reports, quoting investigators, said Archival and his aides were sandwiched by two pick-up trucks before they were raked with automatic fire.
Dalaguete Mayor Ronald Allan Sesante said that based on the footage taken by their cameras, there is another vehicle believed to be involved in the killing.
“One of the vehicles believed to be part of the ambush plan was moving around, (acting as lookout),” he said.
Unfortunately, he said, the camera were positioned to record wide angle shots and could not zero in on the license plate numbers of the vehicles involved.
The NBI started its parallel investigation last Wednesday upon the request of Archival’s brother, Cebu City councilor Nestor Archival.
NBI-7 director Antonio Pagatpat said they are closely coordinating with the police. He said the NBI will share with Task Force Archival whatever evidence they could gather.
Pagatpat said the NBI and the police will also hold case conferences whenever needed.
“We don’t have any room for error here. We have to make sure the NBI and the PNP won’t differ in our findings and conclusions,” he said.
“We don’t have any timeframe with regard to the NBI’s investigation. What we’re after here is thoroughness and legality. We’re nonetheless aware that the Archival family needs justice (as soon as possible),” he added.
Pagatpat said law enforcers should also secure Paolo Cortes, the lone survivor in the ambush.
Cortes is presently recuperating in a hospital. His left arm had to be amputated due to the injuries he sustained in the attack.
Meanwhile, Chief Supt. Danilo Constantino, chief of Police Regional Office (PRO-7) assured the Archival family that they will not rest until the case is solved.
While he says that he’s satisfied with the ongoing probe, he admitted that his investigators are facing difficulty in looking for witnesses. /with reports from Chito O. Aragon