Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) Board Member Sandra M. Cam and six of her co-accused, including her son Marco Martin, were ordered arrested by the Manila court regional trial court (RTC) in connection with the killing of Batuan, Masbate Vice Mayor Charlie Yuson III in 2019.
“The Court after examining the information, the Resolution of Department of Justice Panel of Prosecutors, the complaint-affidavit and other supporting documents thereto, finds probable cause to issue a warrant of arrest ...,“ stated the order dated last April 26 and issued by Presiding Judge Dinnah C. Aguila-Topacio of Manila RTC Branch 42.
Judge Topacio’s order stated that all the seven accused have “no right to bail.”
Aside from Cam and her son, the other accused in the murder charges filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) were Nelson R. Cambaya, Junel R. Gomez, Bradford F. Solis, Juanito B. De Luna, and Rigor M. dela Cruz.
Judge Topacio issued the order after the DOJ panel, composed of Assistant State Prosecutor Josie Christina T. Dugay and Prosecution Attorney Eugene Q. Yusi, filed charges against all seven accused for murder under Article 248 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC).
The panel of prosecutors conducted the preliminary investigation of the complaint filed on Feb. 21 last year by Yuson’s wife Lalaine, his brother Charlie Yuson Jr. and Rufino Alforte based on the findings of the probe conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation’s Death Investigation Division (NBI-DID).
The vice mayor was slain in Sampaloc, Manila on October 9, 2019 while he was having breakfast with some companions at an eatery in the area.
One of his companions, Alforte, was seriously hurt during the shooting that was committed by two gunmen.
Yuson was in Manila to visit his brother Charlie who is a barangay official.
Prior the filing of the complaint before the DOJ, Lalaine has been accusing Cam of orchestrating the killing.
The PCSO executive has repeatedly denied allegations that she was behind the killing.
Cam’s son had ran and lost against the victim’s son, Mayor Charmax Jan Yuson, in the 2019 mayoral elections.