DOJ panel begins probe on Leviste aide slay

Senior State Prosecutor Emmanuel Velasco will start today the preliminary investigation on the killing of Rafael de las Alas, long-time aide of former Batangas governor Jose Antonio Leviste, to determine whether there are other people involved aside from Leviste.

Velasco said that based on the ballistic reports submitted by the Makati City police and the Philippine National Police (PNP) Crime Laboratory, only two of the five bullet slugs recovered from the crime scene matched the ammunition of the .380 caliber pistol owned by Leviste.

"We are looking into the angle that there are others who shot the victim. We are re-investigating because the private complainant wanted to have a re-investigation to know what really happened," Velasco said.

Meanwhile, Leviste, who is the honorary consul of Palestine in the country, accompanied Palestinian Ambassador Abdelaziz Abedelrahman Abuquataish to Malacañang yesterday to meet President Arroyo.

The Palestinian ambassador presented his credentials.

Velasco said based on the police ballistic report, De las Alas suffered five wounds all coming from a .380 caliber pistol.

De las Alas, 68, was shot dead inside Leviste’s office at the 9th floor of the LPL Tower building along Legaspi St. in Legaspi Village, Makati City, last Jan. 12. Leviste claimed that he shot De las Alas in self-defense.

The police had filed homicide charges against Leviste who posted a P40,000 bail for his temporary liberty. The De las Alas family, however, wants the charges to be changed to murder, which is non-bailable.

"Police recovered five bullet slugs from the crime scene. Leviste was armed with a .380 caliber pistol while De las Alas was armed with a 9 mm pistol. Two slugs of a .380 caliber pistol were found in the body of De las Alas, while three slugs went through De las Alas’ body. Only two of the five slugs of the .380 caliber pistol match the gun of Leviste," Velasco said.

Velasco said the police did not find any slugs from the 9 mm pistol of De las Alas.

Velasco said Leviste’s statement admitting that he killed De las Alas in self-defense was made by the former governor in a media interview.

"The statement that he admitted the killing only came from the media. He even refused to subject himself to a paraffin test. He has no affidavit. We would like to know if he is really the one who fired the shots," Velasco said.

Velasco issued subpoenas to Leviste, his secretary Nelia Gonzales, lawyer Ruel Lasala of the National Bureau of Investigation-National Capital Region, Chief Inspector Voltaire Pascual Nulud, medico-legal officer of the PNP Crime Laboratory of the Southern Police District; and lawyer Rex Sandoval.

He said that Gonzales declared in her sworn affidavit that Leviste and De las Alas were having heated arguments the day before and the day of the shooting incident.

"Gonzales said that Leviste and De las Alas had been arguing from the previous night of the killing and until he was killed. She said Leviste and De las Alas were arguing about the latter’s commission worth P1 million. De las Alas was demanding for the release of his P1-million commission."- Aurea Calica