Cop says Go shooting 'witness' was not there

CEBU, Philippines - A policeman has testified in court that a man who claimed to have witnessed SPO1 Adonis Dumpit shoot dead a suspected robber at 5 p.m. last Dec. 14, 2004 in Sitio Villagonzalo II, Barangay Tejero, Cebu City, is not telling the truth.

During his direct testimony before the court, PO3 Alexander Durano said there was no way Andres Sator could have been where the shooting took place.

“He is not an eyewitness,” Durano said, refuting Sator’s claim he saw the incident.

He claimed Sator was one of his workers in his house in Danao City and usually ends work at 5 p.m.

He said it was impossible for Sator to be in Villagonzalo II, where the latter resides, last Dec. 14 at 5 p.m. considering the distance from Danao City to Cebu City plus the traffic.

Durano, who has been with the Cebu City Police Office for 16 years and is currently assigned in the Mobile Patrol Group, said he knew Dumpit and considers him a close friend.

When state prosecutor Alfred Yann Oguis asked him why he only testified now he said it was only now he was called on to do so.

Oguis also questioned Durano why it was not in his affidavit that he stated Sator was not a witness.

Durano said he already relayed the information to defense lawyer Pedro Leslie Salva.

“Atty. Salva already knew,” he said in Cebuano.

Defense lawyer Benjamin Militar said the testimony of Durano established that Sator was not there when the shooting happened.

He said he found inconsistencies in the testimony of Sator.

Janeth Badana, the mother of the victim, was not available for comment yesterday. 

–(FREEMAN)