Atimonan probe: No-show for cops

MANILA, Philippines - Chief Superintendent James Andres Melad, Superintendent Hansel Marantan and 12 other police officers tagged in the killing of 13 people in Atimonan, Quezon last Jan. 6 failed to appear in the preliminary investigation of multiple murder charges against them at the Department of Justice (DOJ) yesterday.

Melad, former Calabarzon police director, sent his lawyer, while Marantan, former Calabarzon police deputy intelligence chief, remains confined at the Philippine National Police General Hospital.

The 12 other police officers are under restrictive custody at PNP headquarters, according to their lawyers.

They are Superintendent Ramon Balauag, Chief Inspector Grant Gollod, Senior Inspectors Timoteo Orig and John Paolo Carracedo, Senior Police Officer 3 Joselito de Guzman, Senior Police Officers 1 Arturo Sarmiento and Carlo Cataquiz, Police Officer 3 Eduardo Oronan, Police Officers 2 Nelson Indal and Al Bhazar Jailani, and Police Officers 1 Wryan Sardea and Rodel Talento.

The DOJ panel that Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Theodore Villanueva chairs gave them 10 more days or until April 19 to answer the charges and submit their counter-affidavits.

Seven members of Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) and 11 soldiers led by Lt. Col. Monico Abang attended the two-and-a-half hour preliminary investigation.

SOCO officers Chief Inspector Zaide Abrera, Inspector Dickson Mercado, Senior Police Officers 1 Meldy Arojo and Analiza Burcelando, Police Officers 2 Bayani Gonzales and Nestor Abuan, and Police Officer 3 Archie Avila submitted a joint answer and denied charges of obstruction of justice.