QC cop accused of wife’s slay released from jail

A government prosecutor ordered released from jail Thursday a Quezon City policeman, tagged as the prime suspect in the killing of his wife in Marikina City last March 13, triggering a howl of protest from policemen and the victim’s relatives.

An irate Superintendent Cipriano Querol Jr., Marikina City police chief said he will request for a clarification from the Department of Justice (DOJ) on the decision of prosecutor Nestor Gapuzan releasing PO1 Elmer Buena on a "mere technicality."

Querol filed last Monday parricide charges against Buena for killing his wife, Ma. Morena, 33, whose body was recovered in the grassy area under a bridge on Marcos Highway in Barangay Calumpang.

Earlier, Gapuzan recommended no bail for Buena, whose last assignment was at the Central Police District (CPD) Station 2 in Baler, Quezon City.

"We have witnesses and evidence pointing to Buena as the culprit. We strongly believe we have a tight case," said Querol as he expressed surprise over the sudden turnaround of Gapuzan on Buena’s case.

Querol said Buena’s lawyer Nelson Borja filed a motion questioning the warrantless arrest of Buena. Gapuzan accepted Borja’s argument and ordered the release of Buena "for further preliminary investigation."

Gapuzan set the preliminary investigation of the parricide case on April 5 and 12. Buena was released from the detention center of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BMJP) at 1:30 p.m. Thursday. – Non Alquitran