16 cops charged over killing of Ozamiz gang leaders

MANILA, Philippines - The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) charged yesterday 16 Calabarzon police officers with two counts of murder for the killing of Ozamiz robbery gang leaders Ricky Cadavero and Wilfredo Panogalinga last July 15.

Charged at the San Pedro, Laguna prosecutor’s office were Superintendent Danilo Mendoza; Senior Inspectors Fernando Cardona and Manuel Magat; Inspector Efren Oco; Senior Police Officers 1 Jason Semacas, Joseph Ortega and Genaro de Gala; Police Officers 3 Marvin Mejia, Ramil Gonzales, Sherwin Bulan and Gerardo Tugot; Police Officers 2 Eduardo Cruz, Kristofferson Reyes, Exiel Reyes and Conrado Bautista Jr.; and Police Officer 1 Ryan Rey Gado.

Former Calabarzon police director Chief Superintendent Benito Estipona was not included in the charge sheet.

Lawyer Ferdinand Lavin, NBI Death Investigation Division head agent, said no evidence linked Estipona to the killings.

The 16 police officers remain under custody in Camp Crame in Quezon City.

Senior Superintendent Reuben Theodore Sindac, Philippine National Police public information chief, said they will wait for the order to transfer them to another place of detention.

“They are on restrictive custody under HSS (Headquarters Support Service) in Camp Crame,” he said. “We will wait for official order about the filing of charges.”

He will coordinate with HSS to check on the status of the 16 policemen, Sindac said.

An NBI investigation showed the accused police officers staged the supposed ambush and escape attempt of Cadavero and Panogalinga.

The NBI said Mendoza was a protector of the Ozamiz gang, and that his men could have stolen the cash and pieces of jewelry seized from the two.

Cadavero and Panogalinga were being taken back to the national penitentiary in Muntinlupa after undergoing inquest proceedings in Cavite, when armed men on a motorcycle allegedly attacked their convoy in Laguna.

Tugot had testified that Magat had instructed him to fire around five shots at the vehicle’s windshield and three shots at the front right tire to make it appear that an ambush occurred and to support police claims that Cadavero and Panogalinga had attempted to escape.

The NBI report said: “Video footage showing both victims... handcuffed from behind also cast doubts on the claim that either of them tried to grab the firearms of their custodians.”