DOJ summons Marantan, others

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Justice (DOJ) has summoned police and military men tagged in the killing of alleged jueteng operator Vic Siman and 12 others in Atimonan, Quezon last Jan. 6.

The 34 respondents, including former Region IV-A police director Chief Superintendent James Andres Melad and former Region IV-A deputy intelligence head Superintendent Hansel Marantan, were ordered to appear before a DOJ investigating panel on April 8 at 2 p.m.

Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Theodore Villanueva, chair of the five-member panel, said the respondents were directed to answer the charges and submit their respective counter-affidavits. The other members of the panel are City Prosecutor Vimar Barcellano, Assistant State Prosecutors Hazel Decena- Valdez and Niven Canlapan and prosecution lawyer Cesar Angelo Chavez III.

“If they don’t appear we will consider the waiver of their right to answer the complaint and we will then have no choice but to resolve it based on uncontroverted  allegations,” Villanueva told reporters.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) filed multiple murder and obstruction of justice charges against the 34 last March 11.

Melad, Marantan and 12 other police officers who took part in the operation – Senior Inspector John Paolo Carracedo, Senior Police Officer 1 Arturo Sarmiento, Superintendent Ramon Balauag, Senior Inspector Timoteo Orig, Chief Inspector Grant Gollod, Senior Police Officer 3 Joselito de Guzman, Senior Police Officer 1 Carlo Cataquiz, Police Officer 3 Eduardo Oronan, PO2 Nelson Indal, PO2 Al Bhazar Jailani, PO1 Wryan Sardea, and PO1 Rodel Talento – were charged with 13 counts of murder.