QC BEHEADING CASE: No arrest yet

Contrary to published reports, Central Police District (CPD) director Senior Superintendent Rodolfo Tor clarified yesterday that they have not arrested any suspect in the gruesome killings of the three teenage boys whose headless bodies were found in Novaliches, Quezon City last April 16.

Aside from the clarification, Tor also relieved Superintendent Philmore Balmaceda, CPD spokesperson, for making a "premature announcement" about the development of the brutal slaying.

On Friday afternoon, Balmaceda told reporters that three suspects were being interrogated about their alleged involvement in the beheading of Kenny Asania, 16, Rolado Pupanes, 18 and a still unidentified boy.

The arrested suspects, Balmaceda alleged were pinpointed by witnesses as the persons who abducted the three boys at the corner of Tandang Sora and Commonwealth Avenues in Quezon City, six days before the bodies were found.

But the CPD director confirmed to The STAR that movements of a number of policemen are now being monitored to determine their involvement, if there was any, in the killings.

"We are questioning these police officers but neither they are suspects nor they are arrested," Tor said in a telephone interview. He was referring to the policemen whose names cropped up in the course of the investigation of the beheading case. "Investigators have yet to establish strong evidence to link or pin them down."

Tor said policemen whose names cropped up during the investigation were SPO1 Rodrigo Llabres, PO3 Mario Morales, PO3 Joel Torres and PO2 Dennis Blasco, all assigned to the CPD-Station 6 (Batasan).

Based on testimonies of witnesses, Tor noted that Morales was said to have been seen with Pupanes a few days before the three victims were found beheaded.

On the other hand, Blasco reportedly visited Asania’s family shortly after the boy’s parents claimed the body of their only son, who had just graduated from New Era High School.

"Morales must explain why he was with one of the victims while Blasco must tell us why he was interested in speaking with Asania’s parents," Tor stressed. He said witnesses have not given testimony against Llabres and Torres.

When asked about the public pronouncement made by Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Leandro Mendoza and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Reynaldo Wycoco about the arrest of three policemen suspects, Tor said both officials could have been misinformed.

"Itatama na lang naming yung information na nakarating sa kanila," (We will just correct the information)," added Tor, who ordered his men not to issue "premature announcement" about the case so as not to compromise the investigation.

Meanwhile, Chief Superintendent Rodolfo Jaraza, chief of the CPD-Criminal Investigation Division (CID), said Blasco has contracted him and claimed that he visited the house of Azana’s parents to check on the development of the case.

"Blasco said he went there because he wanted to follow up the case, being an investigator of Batasan station, the unit that has jurisdiction over the area where the Azanas reside," Jaraza noted.

Jaraza also expressed belief that the third victim would be identified in the coming days.