NBI, PNP defer filing of murder charges vs Llamas slay suspect

To make sure that its case is air-tight, the National Bureau of Investigation and the Pasay City Police will wait for the result of a ballistics test before filing a case of murder against Basher Abdulrahman, the primary suspect in the slaying of Ateneo Law School graduate Jose Ramon Llamas.

"We have agreed with the Pasay City Police to first wait for the result of the ballistics test before filing charges against Abdulrahman," said Edmund Arugay, chief of the NBI’s Metro Manila office which is tasked to probe the case. The ballistics test was started on Monday at Camp Crame where the 9 mm shells and slugs recovered at the crime scene were compared with specimens at the safekeeping of the Firearms and Explosives Division of the Philippine National Police.

According to Arugay, three deformed slugs were recovered at the crime scene. Llamas died after sustaining three gunshot wounds in the body.

Abdulrahman, the NBI said, owns a licensed 9 mm Taurus pistol.

On Monday, agents of the NBI met with their Pasay City Police counterparts to compare notes on the case.

"We are closely working with the police in this case. We have more than enough evidence to pin him (Abdulrahman) down but we want the case to be really air-tight. In addition, we are also coordinating with the victim’s lawyers," said Arugay.

Moreover, agents of the NBI are now closely guarding the country’s backdoor to prevent Abdulrahman’s possible escape.

Earlier, NBI director Reynaldo Wycoco told reporters that they are checking information that Abdulrahman, a native of Marawi City and a resident of 913 Arlegui Street Quiapo, Manila, could have fled to a Muslim community in Palawan to elude authorities after the killing. According to Wycoco, Abdulrahman has lived for sometime in Palawan.

Abdulrahman was tagged by both the NBI and the Pasay City Police as Llamas’ alleged shooter after he was traced as the last owner of the Kawasaki motorcycle which was abandoned at the crime scene.

The NBI said the motorcycle with plate number VM 2047 had changed ownership four times. Its original owner, trader Cola Didato sold it to a certain Mubakar Batao. The bike was also sold by Batao to a certain Ismael Bilal. It was later sold by Bilal to Abdulrahman, his brother-in-law.

Bilal surfaced at the Pasay City Police to clear his name and identified Abdulrahman as the buyer of the motorcycle.

Abdulrahman was identified by several witnesses as the alleged shooter. Likewise, his photograph also matched a police sketch of the gunman.

Llamas, 26, was fatally shot three times during an alleged traffic altercation last Jan. 10 at about 4 p.m. at the corner of Taft and Gil Puyat avenues in Pasay City.