The Philippine National Police (PNP) has filed a case of murder against a police sergeant and eight others in connection with the November 17 killing of lawyer Eric Jay Magcamit in Narra, Palawan.
PNP Chief Gen. Debold Sinas said the policeman involved, Senior Master Sgt. Ariel Pareja, is now under restrictive custody of the Palawan Police Provincial Office after his name cropped up during the investigation on the death of Magcamit.
Magcamit, 35, was the 52nd lawyer killed since 2016. He was on his way to attend a court hearing in the morning of November 17 when one of the suspects hurled a rock on his car which forced him to pull over to check on the damage.
As soon as he alighted from the vehicle, he was repeatedly shot. The killing was captured in the dashcam installed inside his vehicle.
Brig. Gen. Pascual Muñoz, director of the MIMAROPA (Mindoro Occidental and Oriental, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan) regional police said a case of murder was already filed on Wednesday against Pareja.
Also included in the charge sheet were Jazer del Rosario, Marcelino Quioyo and six other unidentified persons.
Muñoz said Pareja was found to have been moonlighting as a bodyguard for Quioyo who was involved in a court case over a land dispute wherein Magcamit represents the other party.
“We also filed administrative charges against Pareja based on his indictment in the murder case,” said Muñoz.
Days before he was murdered, Magcamit told his wife that he was being tailed by another vehicle.