Forensic experts from the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) examine the site where Ritchie Nepomuceno, 35, was gunned down by still unidentified gunmen onboard a motorcycle on April 19, 2021 in Brgy. Basak-Pardo, Cebu City | Photo via Paul Lauro
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Did Police Staff Sergeant Celso Colita of Sawang Calero Police Station remain in ‘camp restriction’ on the day the 35-year-old woman who accused him of rape and extortion was killed?
Records obtained by CDN Digital at Camp Sergio Osmeña showed otherwise as these stated that Colita went out for a ‘medical check-up’ at 8:37 a.m. on Monday, April 19.
Colita was escorted by a certain Police Corporal Christopher Lorete.
The information added that they returned to the camp at 6 p.m. or minutes after Ritchie Nepomuceno was gunned down in Brgy. Basak- Pardo, Cebu City, and around three hours before Colita allegedly committed suicide inside the toilet room of the Regional Special Operations Group.
These would run contrary to statements made by the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) on Wednesday, April 21, that Colita spent the entire day inside the camp last Monday.
Police Colonel Josefino Ligan, director of CCPO, told reporters in a press briefing on Wednesday that was broadcasted via Facebook live that Colita remained under camp restriction since he was relieved last March.
“Gipacheck nato sa atong kustodya, wa man gyud (si Colita) nakagawas,” Ligan replied to a question raised whether the cop went out of the camp last Monday.
(We have it checked with our custodian, and he did not get out of the camp.)
CDN Digital is still trying to reach out to Ligan for clarifications and his comments on this development. Calls and text messages sent to the city’s top police official remained unanswered as of this posting
Earlier statements from the police showed that officers ‘under camp restriction’ are not permitted to go outside of their holding facility or area.
Nepomuceno filed complaints of rape and extortion against Colita and 10 other cops of Sawang Calero Police Station last March.
She claimed Colita raped her twice, and that he and the others stole several of her personal properties, including a motorcycle.
As a result, the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) ordered for the accused police officers to be relieved to pave the way for investigations.
But on April 19, at past 5 p.m., Nepomuceno was shot along N. Bacalso Avenue, Brgy. Basak-Pardo, Cebu City by still unidentified suspects on board a motorcycle.
READ MORE: Woman complainant against Sawang Calero cops shot dead in highway
Several hours later after the crime occurred, police in Camp Sergio Osmeña found Colita dead with a gunshot wound on his head, allegedly as a result of suicide.
Angles
Investigators here are eyeing multiple angles to shed light on Nepomuceno’s death but said that they found ‘no foul play’ on Colita’s case.
READ MORE: RPDEU chief: ‘No foul play’ in Colita’s death
These included the possibility of a ‘love triangle’, and links to the illegal drugs trade, Ligan said during Wednesday’s briefer.
READ MORE: CCPO eyes drugs, love triangle in Nepomuceno’s killing
“One information we got was that Miles or Ritchie was romantically linked to multiple men. We’re still tracing all leads on this,” he explained in Cebuano.
The CCPO chief also said they are investigating on reports that Nepomuceno had ties with peddlers of illegal drugs, and that she herself aided them in selling the prohibited substance.
“Based on another information we received, she had the capacity to dispose of five kilos of shabu (the local term for methamphetamine) per week,” Ligan added.
On Colita’s case, investigators said they will ‘dig deeper’ as to why the officer, while under camp restriction, got hold of a .45 caliber pistol that was allegedly used to take his own life.
“We are investigating as to how he was able to have a gun there, and possibly who could have lent it to him. Also, we have already sent samples for the ballistic test yesterday (Tuesday). We might be expecting the results in a week from now,” said Ligan.
Meanwhile, CCPO is still waiting for the response of Colita’s family on whether they will permit the former to conduct an autopsy on the deceased cop.
PRO-7 director, Brig. Gen. Ronnie Montejo, has ordered the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to find out if the deaths of Nepomuceno and Colita are linked.
Aside from Colita, the other cops from Sawang Calero Police Station charged were Chief Master Sgt. Eric Edgar Ernia; Staff Sergeants Joseph Alcoseba and Michael Rhey Cabizares; and Corporals Emmanuel Martinez, Rochelito Mabulay, Ejill Ferrolino, Carlo Irizari, Junel Pedroza, John Carl Aceron and Georny Abrasado.
Police Maj. Eduard Sanchez, chief of Sawang Calero station, was spared from the charges but was relieved for command responsibility.
The complaint stemmed from a raid on Nepomuceno’s house in Barangay Tungkil, Minglanilla town, Cebu, on March 9. Nepomuceno had told investigators that the policemen did not present any warrant and took her valuables, including several pieces of jewelry.
The next day, she was taken to the police station but her arrest was not recorded in the blotter.
Around 1 p.m. on March 10, Colita’s group took Nepomuceno to several ATMs (automated teller machines) and forced her to withdraw P170,000 from her accounts.
Later, Colita took Nepomuceno to a motel in Barangay Mambaling where she was allegedly raped.
Nepomuceno was released at 5 p.m. on March 11.
But she decided to report her ordeal to the police’s Integrity Monitoring and Enhancement Group, which has the mandate to monitor rogue policemen. / with reports from the Philippine Daily Inquirer
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