As crucial timeline traced: Colita’s escort under probe

CEBU, Philippines — Police Corporal Christopher Lorete, the officer who escorted restricted Police Sergeant Celso Colita to an alleged medical check-up on April 19, is currently under investigation.

Colita is among the 13 police personnel of Sawang Calero Police Station accused of extorting 35-year-old woman Ritchie Nepomuceno. The latter had also accused the former of raping her twice in a motel.

Colita and others have since been under camp restriction following Nepomuceno’s allegations.

On April 19, Nepumoceno was gunned down in Barangay Basak, Cebu City. A few hours later, Colita was also found dead with gunshot inside the comfort room at the Regional Police Drug Enforcement Unit office in what was reported as a case of suicide.

Nepomuceno filed her complaint after the Sawang policemen served a search warrant for alleged illegal possession of firearms in her house in Minglanilla, an operation that yielded a negative result.

Yesterday, Cebu City Police Office Director Colonel Josefino Ligan told reporters that he has ordered Police Station 2 to investigate allegations that Colita went out for a medical appointment on the day Nepomuceno was murdered and hours before he allegedly committed suicide.

“Ipa(investigate) na nako na’g apil sa IOC (investigator on case) kanang iyang paggawas anang adlawa, so makita naman na didto, apil sa iyang investigation, kung kinsa iyang escort para pud mapangutana pud apil ang escort anang adlawa kung asa gyud sila,” Ligan said.

According to the camp logbook at the Police Regional Office-7 headquarters, Colita left the camp at 8:37 a.m. on April 19, 2021 and returned at 6 p.m. or shortly after Nepomuceno was shot dead on N. Bacalso Avenue in Basak, Cebu City.

“So masubay na siya kung sa iyang paggawas, nag-medical check-up siya, ug asa siya niadto after...para ma-erase na ang doubt nga siya gyud ang mamumuno adtong kang (death) Miles (Ritchie) Nepumoceno,” said Ligan.

Should there be a “gap” in the timeline, Ligan said further investigation will be made.

Ligan said that they are still not certain if the two incidents, Colita's alleged suicide and Nepumoceno's murder, were connected. He added they will let the investigation reveal what happened.

To recall, Colita was being ruled out by CCPO as person of interest behind Nepumoceno's murder basing on their initial investigation.

Ligan also said that the information that Colita went out of the camp that day will be a factor to develop in the investigation.

He said Lorete’s statements will be vital.

“Ang escort maoy maka-reveal kung asa siya (Colita) anang adlawa gikan sa paggawas anang 8:37 a.m. hangtod nga nakabalik siya alas sais sa gabii,” said Ligan.

Yesterday morning, Ligan said he already directed the investigator to question Lorete and the interrogation was expected to be done within the day.

The results of Colita's ballistic examination are expected to be released next week.

This, according to Ligan, will be the most accurate scientific evidence that will shed light on whether Colita was behind Nepumoceno's murder. — JMD (FREEMAN)