Top Cordillera, Abra police execs face murder raps over Pilar shooting

The National Bureau of Investigation has filed complaints for murder before the Department of Justice against top police officials in the Cordillera Autonomous Region and Abra in connection with the shooting incident that led to the killing of a bodyguard of Pilar Vice Mayor Jaja Josefina Somera Disono.

According to John Consulta's report on "24 Oras", the NBI recommended for prosecution Police Brig. Gen. Ronald Lee, the police regional director in CAR; and Police Colonel Maly Cula, acting police provincial director in Abra.

Also the subject of a murder complaint are Police Lt. Col. Melencio Mina, chief of the provincial intelligence unit and provincial drug enforcement unit; Police Capt. Ronaldo Eslabra, chief of the Pilar police; Comelec Officer 2 Rodrigo Base; and members of the Pilar police and the regional mobile force battalion.

"Conspiracy kasi is merong unity of acts," said Atty. Joseph Martinez of the NBI-National Capital Region.

"Based sa mga ebidensya na na-gather namin... may sinet-up sila na PNP-Comelec checkpoint and pinalabas nila na 'yung checkpoint na 'yun ay legitimate pero iba ang nakikita namin sa ebidensya na nakuha namin," he added.

(Based on the evidence we have gathered, they set up a PNP-Comelec checkpoint which they tried to pass off as legitimate but the evidence we got indicated otherwise.)

Sought for comment, Lee said the conspiracy angle was only an allegation by the NBI.

Police have alleged that Disono's guards shot it out with policemen after their convoy reportedly ignored a Comelec checkpoint in March.

One of the vice mayor's guards Sandy Bermudo was killed in the alleged shootout.

The NBI findings indicated that there was no shootout.

The complainants believe that the police officials in CAR and Abra conspired against them in connection with Eleksyon 2022. 

"Gusto lang po namin na lumabas yung katotohanan at mabigyang hustoisya po ang ating kasamahan na si Sandy Boy Bermudo po," Disono said.

The police reportedly has yet to give the NBI access to the results of the paraffin test of the policemen and the ballistic test of surrendered weapons.

The Philippine National Police in early April filed complaints against  Disono, Pilar Mayor Maro Somera, and their personnel over the fatal standoff in March 29.

In a statement, the PNP said Somera and Disono were facing complaint for violation of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003 as amended by the Expanded Trafficking in Persons Act.

A complaint for serious disobedience to an agent of a person in authority was also filed against Pilar government personnel Robert Boreta Toreno, Emmanuel Nicanor Valera, and Disono’s househelper Jericho Toreno Bufil.

Bufil was also charged with attempted murder. —NB, GMA News