Police officer linked to murder of village chair in Batangas turns self in
CAMP GEN. VICENTE LIM, Laguna – A police officer linked to the murder of Barangay Chairman Vicente Polo in Lipa City, Batangas last month turned himself in to the Police Regional Office 4-A.
PRO 4-A public information chief Lt. Col. Eunice de Guzman said on Thursday, March 9, that the suspect with the rank of lieutenant colonel obeyed the order of Brig. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., PRO 4-A director, to report to the regional police headquarters in this camp.
De Guzman added that he is in the custodial facility and under restrictive custody.
“He is under restrictive custody because only regular filing will be filed in his case, and will wait for a warrant to be issued for his arrest,” De Guzman said.
She added that before he was taken into custody, the suspect was undergoing mandatory schooling at the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) in Silang, Cavite.
De Guzman said three of the five suspects are in police custody, including the two previously arrested, Lito Bautista, who is a government employee, and ambulance driver Rene Boy Carbajosa.
Carbajosa was sitting in the front passenger seat of the getaway vehicle used in the crime. A blue car used in the crime was recovered from him, De Guzman added.
Police had a lead in the case after the Lipa City police obtained a witness who detailed how the suspects planned the murder, De Guzman said.
Two other suspects are being sought by the police, including Allan Edroso, alleged gunman, she added.
The family of the victim has sought assistance from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and requested an investigation because a police officer is involved and they fear to have a whitewash in the investigation.
However, De Guzman said Nartatez ordered a thorough and equal investigation and there is no bias in the case though it is unfortunate that another police officer is involved.
Polo was gunned down on Feb. 26 while unloading merchandise for his store from his pickup truck in Barangay San Carlos in Lipa City at around 5:20 a.m.