Homicide, not murder raps filed vs cop killers

Murder, not homicide.

Caloocan City policemen are protesting the decision of the City Prosecutor’s Office downgrading to homicide the murder charges filed against two businessmen who killed a policeman over a minor traffic altercation Friday.

"We are appealing to the prosecutor’s office. With our witness and evidence, the case should not be homicide but murder," Caloocan City police chief Superintendent Benjardi Mantele, yesterday said.

Police filed murder charges against Reynaldo Ramirez, 47, Fabian de la Cruz, Jr., 35, both businessmen, and their driver Dave Neyra, 33, for shooting dead SPO4 Alejandro Valdez, 41, over a minor traffic accident Friday night.

Valdez was assigned to the Intelligence Unit of the Caloocan City Police Station 1 in the Bukid area.

However, Assistant City Prosecutor Ojer Pacis on Sunday reduced the charge to homicide and set a P40,000 bail for each suspect.

Police were told that the case was homicide because the suspects were not armed during the incident. Moreover, Mantele said Pacis said that it was Valdez who first confronted the suspects after which a heated argument between the two parties ensued.

"But a witness said that after Valdez got off his vehicle and introduced himself as a policeman, the suspects replied by saying "Eh, ano ngayon?" and then ganged up on him," Mantele said.

Valdez and his driver were on their way home on board a taxicab which the policeman owned. Authorities said the suspects were backing up their Mitsubishi Pajero in front of a videoke bar on Captain F. Samano Road near the Caloocan City Hall in Almar, Camarin when they hit the right side of Valdez’s vehicle.

Police said Valdez, who was in civilian clothes, alighted and introduced himself as a policeman. The suspects, who were reportedly drunk, snapped back, which led to a heated argument and then exchanged blows.

As Ramirez, De la Cruz, and Neyra mauled the policeman, one of them allegedly took the victim’s caliber .45 service firearm and shot Valdez in the left side of the body.

Valdez was declared dead on arrival at the Far Eastern University Hospital in Quezon City, while the suspects were immediately arrested by a patrolling mobile unit. – Nikko Dizon