Raps filed vs. Calbayog mayor son, cops involved in March shootout

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has already filed several complaints against four policemen and Ronald Mark Aquino, son of the late Calbayog City Mayor Ronaldo Aquino, who were allegedly involved in the shooting incident that killed the local chief executive in March.

In a Senate hearing, PNP Director for Operations Maj. Gen. Alfred Corpuz said Police Regional Office VIII has already filed homicide and murder complaints, among others, against personalities involved in the shootout.

“The latest status of the case, based on the reports submitted by Police Regional Office VIII, cases of homicide, 3 counts, and frustrated homicide were already referred to the City Prosecutor’s Office of Calbayog City last April 16, 2021 against Police Lt. Col. [Harry] Sucayre, Police Major [Shyrile] Tan, and Police Lt. [Julio Armeza Jr.] for the death of Mayor Aquino and his companions,” Corpuz told the panel.

Senator Panfilo Lacson then asked the PNP to enumerate the complaints filed against personalities from both camps who were allegedly involved in the shootout.

Police Colonel Oliver Cinco said the other complaints filed were:

• Two counts of murder filed against Ronald Mark Aquino, Pol. Corp. Ramil Rosales, and several John Does at the City Prosecutor's Office, Calbayog City, Samar on April 8.
• Another case of frustrated murder and attempted murder filed against Aquino, Rosales, several John Does.
• Grave threats against Aquino.

The raps against the younger Aquino, Rosales, and several unidentified men were filed for the death of Police Staff Sgt. Romeo Laoyon and Capt. Joselito Tabada, chief of Samar PNP Drug Enforcement Unit, Corpuz said.

Aquino, in the same hearing, denied that he was involved in the death of two police officers during the incident.

Corpuz assured the public that the PNP is “taking this matter seriously.”

On the other hand, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said they have also concluded their investigation on the shootout, but they deferred the filing of complaints against the personalities involved.

“Ang NBI, Sir, hindi pa kami nag-file dahil para sana hindi nila ma-invoke ang constitutional right to incrimination,” NBI Eastern Visayas Regional Director Jerry Abiera told the panel.

Abiera also confirmed that they have different findings from the PNP’s investigation results.

“Baka magkagulo-gulo kayo sa court niyan?” Lacson asked Abiera, in which he replied: “Malamang, Sir.”

Last March 9, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra has ordered the NBI to launch a parallel investigation on the shooting incident that killed the Calbayog City mayor and his three companions.

Samar Representative Edgar Mary Sarmiento, who was present at the hearing, earlier said he prefers the NBI to conduct the probe, as he question the policemen’s involvement on the killing of Aquino.

Earlier reports said Aquino and his companions were in a van when their vehicle was riddled with bullets on Laboyao Bridge in Barangay Lonoy.

Aquino's camp thought that they were being followed by another vehicle. They shot at the vehicle, whose passengers turned out to be policemen who retaliated.—AOL, GMA News