NBI rules out murder in Chavez case

After much deliberation, the National Bureau of Investigation has ruled out murder in the death last year of a 22-year-old female graduate of the Philippine Military Academy.

NBI director Reynaldo Wycoco said that based on scientific findings conducted by the bureau, the fatal bullet wound sustained in the chest by 2nd Lieutenant Jessica Chavez, of the 191st Military Police Battalion was "self inflicted." The bullet entered Chavez’s chest and exited her back.

"We are very definite that based on scientific findings, it was a self-inflicted wound. Whether it was accidental or suicide, we still have to determine. It (wound) was self-inflicted based on the smudging and tattooing," said Wycoco.

Wycoco said the NBI’s findings corroborated the initial findings of the Southern Police District. He added that the bureau is now securing the victim’s psychological profile to determine if her death was a suicide or an accident.

Chavez, a member of the PMA’s 2000 Sanghaya Class, was found dead inside her quarters at Fort Bonifacio just before dawn last Feb. 9.

Initial investigation conducted by the NBI’s medico-legal division earlier showed that Chavez’s death could not have been suicide as she was shot in an "awkward" position.

In addition, the earlier NBI medico-legal findings showed that the victim’s gun, a caliber .45 pistol, had been fired from a distance.

The victim’s father, Efren, earlier said his daughter could have been murdered as she was shot at close range but her hands had reportedly tested negative for gunpowder burns.

Meanwhile, the Valenzuela court sentenced a taxi driver to reclusion perpetua or life imprisonment for robbing two passengers and killing one of them three years ago.

Judge Adriano Osorio also slapped Roberto Pasion, 35, married, of Valenzuela City, with an additional eight years in prison for the robbery . Pasion was also ordered to pay the deceased’s family a total of P108,084 in damages.

In his 30-page decision, Osorio found the accused guilty beyond reasonable doubt of robbery with homicide and robbery with attempted homicide. – Mike Frialde and Nikko Dizon