No benefits for officials charged in Archival murder

The Ombudsman forfeited the retirement benefits and annulled the civil service eligibility of two former police officials who were tagged in the ambush-murder of Cebuano lawyer Noel Archival and his two companions in 2014.

In a joint resolution, the anti-graft office found Senior Supt. Romualdo Iglesia and Senior Insp. Joselito Lerion guilty of grave misconduct for driving vehicles bearing license plates that belong to other vehicles and owners.

“Apparently, the use of the plate numbers belonging to other vehicles was used by said respondents as a craft or disguise and evident premeditation that qualify the killing into murder,” said graft investigation and prosecution officer Mara Zipagan whose ruling was approved by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales.

Though the Ombudsman ordered the dismissal from service of Iglesia and Lerion, it could no longer be imposed.

The two former officials of the Highway Patrol Group in Central Visayas (HPG-7) were already dropped from the rolls of the Philippine National Police in 2015.

But the accessory penalties that includes, perpetual disqualification from re-employment in the government, forfeiture of retirement benefits, and cancellation of eligibility, stay.

Iglesia and Lerion were also ordered to pay a fine equivalent to their respective salaries for one year, payable to the anti-graft office, and may be deducted from their accrued leave credits or any receivable from their office.

The case for qualified theft against Iglesia and Lerion, on one hand, were dropped by the Ombudsman.

It said the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) failed to establish that the two policemen used impounded vehicles of the Regional Highway Patrol Unit.

Also cleared of qualified theft by the Ombudsman were PO1 Alex Bacani, Chief Insp. Eduardo Mara, and SPO4 Edwin Galan.

Iglesia, Lerion, and Bacani, however, are facing charges of frustrated and multiple murder in relation to Archival’s murder in court. They remain at large.

Their lawyer Inocencio de la Cerna Jr. said he hopes that the Ombudsman’s ruling will affect the pending court case.

The Archival family put up reward money for anyone who can give information that can lead to the arrest of the three policemen: P200,000 for Iglesia and Lerion and P100,000 for Bacani.

Archival, along with his aides Candido Miñoza, Alejandro Jaime, and Paolo Cortes, were headed back to Cebu City from Dumaguete City when he was ambushed by unidentified persons on board two vehicles on Feb. 18, 2014. Only Cortes survived.

The NBI said the suspects used two impounded vehicles of the Regional Highway Patrol Unit.