Mandaue cop faces murder raps for death of Tejero resident

A policeman assigned in Mandaue City was charged with murder for killing a resident of barangay Tejero last month.

Assistant Cebu City prosecutor Alexander Acosta elevated the case against PO2 Israelito Aballe yesterday to the Regional Trial Court after finding probable cause to hold him for trial for the murder of Renato Noble.

Aballe, who is assigned at the Mandaue City police station 1, was positively identified by Teresita Nasayao, live-in partner of the victim, as the one who shot Noble at the back on May 23 at 3:00 a.m.

Nasayao said she was with the victim when the incident happened and both were at an area near their house in Villagonzalo II, barangay Tejero when Aballe arrived and put his arm on the shoulder of the victim. Nasayao said the victim tried to run but Aballe chased him and then shot him at the back. The victim was declared dead on arrival at the Cebu City Medical Center.

The victim's brother, Rodillo, said that he heard his brother calling for help prompting him to go out of his house and check. He said he saw his brother slumped on the ground with a gunshot wound on his back, the bullet exited on his chest.

Rodillo said that before his brother died, he was able to write the name of the person who shot him on a cardboard and affixed his thumb mark on it using his own blood. Aballe voluntarily surrendered to the Homicide Section of the Cebu City Police to deny the accusation and to clear his name but was instead placed under arrest based on the positive identification of the witness.

The prosecutor's office did not recommend a bail for Aballe's temporary liberty. - Fred P. Languido