Fiscal orders release of Phl shooter’s nephew

MANILA, Philippines - A nephew of multi-awarded shooter Nathaniel “Tac” Padilla, who was arrested in a P30-million drug bust in Quezon City last month, was ordered released after the inquest prosecutor amended his earlier resolution for “insufficiency of evidence” to hold the respondent for trial in court.

In the amended resolution dated Sept. 3 and was released yesterday, Assistant City Prosecutor Alessandro Jurado said the case against Harold Wilford Padilla, 34, needs preliminary investigation to determine probable cause for the filing of charges.

Padilla, who was arrested with Arnel Ignacio on Aug. 31, is facing charges for illegal possession of firearms and for violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) earlier said that Jurado recommended the filing of charges against Padilla and Ignacio, who was also facing drug charges.

Jurado initially refused to grant bail on the drug charges, but set it at P120,000 for the illegal possession of firearms charge against Padilla.

Turnaround

In his amended resolution, Jurado said a careful scrutiny of records showed that the suspected illegal drugs and the .40 caliber Glock were not recovered in Padilla’s possession. He ordered the QCPD to release Padilla.

Meanwhile, Jurado affirmed the filing of charges against Ignacio. His case was raffled off to Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 79 Judge Nadine Jessica Corazon Fama, who ordered Ignacio sent to the Quezon City Jail and set his arraignment and pre-trial on Sept. 17.

In the affidavit of arrest submitted to the inquest prosecutor, investigators Police Officer 2 Ronald de la Cruz and PO1 Cecil Collado said they arrested Ignacio and Padilla during a drug bust on Banawe street in Barangay Sto. Domingo at around 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 31.

The police officers said they arrested Ignacio, also known as Pedro, after selling a kilo of shabu to De la Cruz, who acted as the buyer.

Based on the affidavit of the police officers, Ignacio arrived at the area in a Nissan Terrano driven by another person, later identified as Padilla.

However, the drugs – both the one kilo handed by Ignacio to De la Cruz and the other four kilos later discovered by the police – came from the backseat of a Mazda Familia that was already parked at the area when the police arrived.

The gun, meanwhile, was seen in the glove compartment of the Nissan Terrano, where Padilla was arrested by the police.

The case against Ignacio was established as he was the one who handed a kilo of suspected shabu to operatives.