The regional director of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), 11 other police officers and men, and an election officer have been charged with murder in the alleged killing last March 29 of the staff of Vice Mayor Jaja Josefina Somero Disono of Pilar, Abra.
In a statement, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said its National Capital Region (NBI-NCR) filed the complaint before the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday, April 28.
Named respondents in the complaint were PBGen. Ronald O. Lee, regional director of the PNP-CAR; PCol. Maly Castillo Cula, PNP Abra provincial director; PLt.Col. Melencio M. Mina, chief of the Provincial Intelligence Unit of the PNP Abra Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit; PCpt. Ronald G. Eslabra, acting chief of police of the Pilar Municipal Police Station; PLt. Boyd Leeson Dom-Oguen Kis-Ing; Pat. Frenzel Paus Alperez; PCpl. Allan Dale M. Sabiano; PCpl. Joedel G. Jove; PCpl. Ariel Felipe; Pat. Pietro Delmar T. Aveno; PSMS. Sandy C. Claveria; and PCpl. Chrisler D. Lucas.
Also named as respondent was Rodrigo V. Basa II, an election officer of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
The complaint was filed in connection with the killing of Disono’s staff, Sanee Boy Bermudo.
The NBI said that “in addition to the murder charges, perjury and incriminating an innocent person were also filed against PLt. Kis-Ing, PCpl. Sabiniano, Pat. Aveno, PCpl. Jove, and Pat. Alperez.”
In the complaint, the NBI refuted the claims of the police that a gunfight broke out after a van carrying the staff members of Disono ignored a police checkpoint last March 29.
“Based on the investigation conducted by the NBI-NCR, the convoy of Vice Mayor Disono was deliberately fired upon by the involved police officers,” it said.
It noted that the claim of the police officers that “they were conducting a legitimate Comelec checkpoint along Berona Street, Pilar, Abra and was informed that a group of armed men were seen roaming around Pilar, Abra onboard a white Toyota Hi-Ace with unknown plate number.”
“However, based on the CCTV (closed circuit television) footages gathered by the investigating team, there was no visible checkpoint along the said area at the time the PNP claimed that they were conducting a checkpoint,” it said.
It also said: “The police officers claimed that while pursuing the target van their Police Mobile with marking ‘557’ was fired upon by one of its passengers but based on CCTV footages the Police Mobile bearing the marking ‘557’ was seen pursuing the target van without a bullet hole and suddenly stopped pursuing the van.”
“Minutes later, the said Police Mobile suddenly showed up with evident bullet hole in the front passenger,” it added.