‘Place Archival murder suspects in BI watchlist’
The family of slain lawyer Noel Archival is asking the Bureau of Immigration to place in its watchlist the five PNP Highway Patrol Group (HPG) police officers who were indicted for the murder.
“We want these police officers to be included in the watchlist of the immigration, especially that no Hold Departure Order can be issued against them unless charges are filed before the trial court,” lawyer Gloria Lastimosa-Dalawampu said yesterday.
The five policemen are under camp restriction in the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame but Dalawampu said they did not want to take any chances.
“Camp Crame is their custodian now. If we can’t locate them in the coming days, then ranking officers of Camp Crame have to answer for it,” Dalawampu said.
The prosecutor’s office recommended the filing of multiple and frustrated murder charges against Senior Supt. Romualdo Iglesia, Senior Insp. Joselito Lerion, PO1 Alex Bacani and several unidentified persons for the death of Archival and his companions.
The three allegedly conspired to kill the lawyer who had filed several cases against the HPG on behalf of clients who accused the police of extortion.
The charges against Chief Insp. Eduardo Mara and SPO4 Edwin Galan were dismissed for lack of evidence.
Defense lawyer Inocencio De La Cerna Jr. said he would file a motion for reconsideration to have the charges dismissed and if not granted, he would seek a review by the Department of Justice.
Asked if his police clients would surrender once arrest warrants are issued against them, Dela Cerna said, “We believe we can have this case dismissed.”
The parties have 15 days to file their motions.
Insp. Charlie Reyes, spokesman of HPG-7, said they are saddened by the ruling as colleagues expected all five HPG officers would be cleared.
Dalawampu said she will request Deputy Lapu-Lapu City Prosecutor Rogelio Tagaan to reverse his ruling and implead Mara and Galan in the charges that will be filed before the Regional Trial Court.
While the two had “minimal participation” in the crime they should be held liable for conspiring with the other three police officers, she said.
Mara was the deputy chief of the regional office of the HPG-7 and Galan was the property custodian.
The National Bureau of Investigation said the two police officers “neither lifted a finger nor objected to stop the in and out of questionable vehicles” at the HPG 7 impounding area.
Two impounded vehicles—a red Toyota Vios and a gray Mitsubishi Strada—were believed to be used in the ambush of Archival, who was riding home from court hearings in Negros.
Archival, with his companions, Candido Miñoza, Alejandro Jaime, Paolo Cortes were ambushed in Dalaguete town, southern Cebu in the afternoon of Feb. 18, 2014.
Only Cortes, Archival’s aide, survived.
His account was crucial in identifying the vehicles used by the assailants.
Related Stories:
3 HPG cops charged for Archival murder
NBI finds red car used by Archival’s killers parked in compound of Highway Patrol Group
Disclaimer: The comments uploaded on this site do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of management and owner of Cebudailynews. We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards.
