By Martin Sadongdong
The primary suspect in the killing of Nueva Ecija priest Father Richmond Nilo was ordered released by the court on Friday morning, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP), as his lawyer maintained that he was mistakenly arrested by cops.
With blood still spread on the floor, a police investigator briefs Chief Superintendent Amador Corpus, (left), Region 3 police director and Sr. Superintendent Eliseo Tanding, Nueva Ecija police chief, showing one of the six bullet trajectories on the tarpaulin where Fr. Richmond Nilo was shot to death at closed range by the assassin while about to officiate a Sunday mass. (Ariel Avendaño/MANILA BULLETIN)
Senior Superintendent Benigno Durana Jr., PNP spokesperson, said Adell Roll Milan, the alleged gunman tagged in the killing of Father Nilo, was released at the detention facility of the Cabanatuan Provincial Jail around 11 a.m.
In a court order signed by Hon. Angelo Perez, presiding judge of Cabanatuan Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 27, it said that it has granted the "urgent motion to withdraw information" filed by provincial prosecutor officer-in-charge Eddie Gutierrez. This means that the murder charge filed by the prosecuting team against Milan was withdrawn.
Durana said the release of Milan was a "positive development" in the progress of Father Nilo's case.
"Based on the appreciation of the prosecutor, he has to release the suspect, Adell Milan, at base na rin sa coordination ng ating mga investigators, this is probably one of the results of a positive development that we have achieved in running after other suspects who are involved in the killing of Father Nilo," he said.
Meanwhile, according to lawyer Larry Gadon, his client, Milan, was a victim of a "mistaken identity" where cops wrongly accussed him of killing Father Nilo. The parish priest of Zaragoza, Nueva Ecija was gunned down at the local church minutes before officiating a mass last June 10.
Gadon said the court has found merit in their counter-affidavit that Milan was not in the crime scene when the shoting happened.
Asked whether the PNP lacked in presenting credible evidence to convict Milan, Durana maintained that the murder charge was filed based on the testimony of the altar server who pointed Milan as the gunman.
"We need to emphasize that Milan was charged of murder based on the testimony of the chruch server na still under the custody of the church so wala po tayong hawak na... We never encouraged if he speculated that way dahil ito ay hawak ng pari. In three separate occassions, itinuro niya si Milan bilang gunman," Durana said.
Milan was arrested on June 14 after police reported that the altar server who witnessed the killing of Father Nilo identified him as the gunman through the police rogue gallery.
However, Gadon earlier presented the family and friends of Milan in Quezon City where they said the suspect was in a drinking spree on the day of the crime so it was impossible for him to kill the priest.
The family of Milan then insisted that he was just a "fall guy."
No charges vs. cops; new suspect
As for Milan, he signed a waiver yesterday that said he will not file charges against the cops who arrested him in connection with Father Nilo's killing.
In the same waiver, Milan bared that a certain Omar Mallari y Umbang was arrested by authorities.
PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde is expected to give details on the developments of the case on Monday next week.
Prior to this development, the PNP said they are still running after five to six suspects tagged in Father Nilo's death.
However, now that Milan was proven by the court as innocent, the question remains: who really killed the Catholic priest and when will the suspects be arrested by the police?
With blood still spread on the floor, a police investigator briefs Chief Superintendent Amador Corpus, (left), Region 3 police director and Sr. Superintendent Eliseo Tanding, Nueva Ecija police chief, showing one of the six bullet trajectories on the tarpaulin where Fr. Richmond Nilo was shot to death at closed range by the assassin while about to officiate a Sunday mass. (Ariel Avendaño/MANILA BULLETIN)
Senior Superintendent Benigno Durana Jr., PNP spokesperson, said Adell Roll Milan, the alleged gunman tagged in the killing of Father Nilo, was released at the detention facility of the Cabanatuan Provincial Jail around 11 a.m.
In a court order signed by Hon. Angelo Perez, presiding judge of Cabanatuan Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 27, it said that it has granted the "urgent motion to withdraw information" filed by provincial prosecutor officer-in-charge Eddie Gutierrez. This means that the murder charge filed by the prosecuting team against Milan was withdrawn.
Durana said the release of Milan was a "positive development" in the progress of Father Nilo's case.
"Based on the appreciation of the prosecutor, he has to release the suspect, Adell Milan, at base na rin sa coordination ng ating mga investigators, this is probably one of the results of a positive development that we have achieved in running after other suspects who are involved in the killing of Father Nilo," he said.
Meanwhile, according to lawyer Larry Gadon, his client, Milan, was a victim of a "mistaken identity" where cops wrongly accussed him of killing Father Nilo. The parish priest of Zaragoza, Nueva Ecija was gunned down at the local church minutes before officiating a mass last June 10.
Gadon said the court has found merit in their counter-affidavit that Milan was not in the crime scene when the shoting happened.
Asked whether the PNP lacked in presenting credible evidence to convict Milan, Durana maintained that the murder charge was filed based on the testimony of the altar server who pointed Milan as the gunman.
"We need to emphasize that Milan was charged of murder based on the testimony of the chruch server na still under the custody of the church so wala po tayong hawak na... We never encouraged if he speculated that way dahil ito ay hawak ng pari. In three separate occassions, itinuro niya si Milan bilang gunman," Durana said.
Milan was arrested on June 14 after police reported that the altar server who witnessed the killing of Father Nilo identified him as the gunman through the police rogue gallery.
However, Gadon earlier presented the family and friends of Milan in Quezon City where they said the suspect was in a drinking spree on the day of the crime so it was impossible for him to kill the priest.
The family of Milan then insisted that he was just a "fall guy."
No charges vs. cops; new suspect
As for Milan, he signed a waiver yesterday that said he will not file charges against the cops who arrested him in connection with Father Nilo's killing.
In the same waiver, Milan bared that a certain Omar Mallari y Umbang was arrested by authorities.
PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde is expected to give details on the developments of the case on Monday next week.
Prior to this development, the PNP said they are still running after five to six suspects tagged in Father Nilo's death.
However, now that Milan was proven by the court as innocent, the question remains: who really killed the Catholic priest and when will the suspects be arrested by the police?