Three policemen tagged in the slay of Cebuano lawyer Noel Archival and his two companions have been dropped from the rolls.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) ordered the dismissal from service of Senior Supt. Romualdo Iglesia, Senior Insp. Joselito Lerion and PO1 Alex Bacani—all of the Highway Patrol Group (HPG).
The order took effect last Jan. 26, but the parties received a formal confirmation only last Friday.
“Dropping from the rolls in the PNP service of (the) following named PNP personnel are hereby confirmed,” read the PNP Special Order No. 1796 issued upon the commands of Police Deputy Directors General Leonardo Espina and Marcelo Garbo Jr.
The order was signed by Police Director Jaime Morente of the PNP’s Personnel and Records Management.
Paolo Cortes, the lone survivor in the ambush over a year ago, and his lawyer Rameses Villagonzalo earlier requested the PNP to drop the three HPG troopers from the official list of PNP members after they no longer reported to work.
“PNP rules state that a 10-day AWOL (Absence Without Official Leave) is equivalent to dismissal,” Villagonzalo explained to reporters yesterday.
Iglesia, Lerion, and Bacani are facing charges of frustrated and multiple murder after they were implicated in the ambush of Archival and his three companions on Feb. 18, 2014.
Judge Maximo Perez of the Regional Trial Court Branch 26 in Argao has issued an arrest warrant against the three policemen last Dec. 11.
The three policemen remain at large.
Villagonzalo said they are nonetheless happy that Iglesia, Lerion, and Bacani could no longer manipulate other HPG policemen and police records in their behalf.
“They are now civilian fugitives. They could no longer use government resources as they continue to hide,” he said.
Talamban Barangay Councilor Nelson Archival, the brother of the slain lawyer, said they are optimistic that the three policemen will be arrested soon.
The Archival family has put up a reward money for anyone who can give an information that can lead to the arrest of the three policemen: P200,000 for Iglesia; P200,000 for Lerion; and P100,000 for Bacani.
Aside from seeking the arrest and conviction of the three policemen, Nelson said they will also run after some ranking officials of Camp Crame who earlier had custody of Iglesia, Lerion, and Bacani.
Lawyer Gloria Lastimosa-Dalawampu, the counsel of the Archival family, said the order dropping the three policemen from the roll proved that they they were already been AWOL when the arrest warrant was issued.
“I smell collusion with the HPG headquarters. And they could not escape criminal and administrative liabilities for failure to produce the three HPG policemen after pulling them out of Cebu,” she said.
Lawyer Inocencio De La Cerna Jr., the counsel of Lerion, declined to issue any statement, saying he has yet to receive a copy of the orders from the PNP.
Archival, along with his aides Candido Miñoza, Alejandro Jaime, and Paolo Cortes, were attacked while on their way back to Cebu City from Dumaguete City.