Police unmask Billy

CEBU, Philippines - Police now have the identity of the Department of Justice (DOJ) marshal who was accused of raping a 21-year-old witness under its protective custody.

Guadalupe police station chief Andres Bayarcal said that the identity of codename “Billy” is already known to them. He is Ronilo Pabroa from Carcar City.

Bayarcal said they will no longer push through with their initial plan of conducting a police lineup for all DOJ marshals.

“Since we already identified the suspect, we will now prepare the affidavit to file the case,” he said, saying that the police’s role in the investigation is to strengthen the pieces of evidence for the filing of charges.

Bayarcal said that Pabroa was identified with the help of the Witness Protection Program. He is in Carcar City but will remain a free man unless a warrant of arrest is issued against him.

“We will still have to check what other cases to file aside from rape if naa man gani. We are now in the process of gathering affidavits,” Bayarcal said.

Last week, the victim, a resident of Barangay Mactan, Lapu-Lapu City, alleged that Pabroa repeatedly raped her from January to March this year in the safe house of the Witness Protection Security and Benefit Program in Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City.

She was housed in the Witness Protection Program for her security after receiving threats after she filed a case against two of the eight men who also raped her last year.

Meanwhile, state prosecutor Graeme June Elmido said they fear for the security of their marshal after his identity was revealed to the public. He said mostly of their cases under the agency’s program came from where the marshal live.

“We fear sa security ni Billy because naa mi kalaban nga taga didto,” he said.

Elmido however assured that Pabroa will face the investigation and charges if there are any. He said the code name was employed for their marshal to protect their identities.

He added the job of their marshal is crucial because it will be protecting lives under their agency’s program.— (FREEMAN)