KILLING OF MASIAO ‘FINANCIER’: Murder charges filed against Ormoc police chief, 7 others

TACLOBAN CITY — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has filed a murder complaint with the city prosecutor’s office against the police chief of Ormoc City and seven others for the 1995 killing of an alleged masiao financier.

Charged in the complaint transmitted by NBI director Reynaldo Wycoco were Superintendent Roberto Mangacat, Ormoc police chief; police officers Boy Abellanosa, Mario Cadayong and Fortunato Gallo, a certain Bañez and three still unidentified persons.

The case stemmed from the killing of Vicente Dy Jr., a resident of this city, on Sept. 10, 1995. His killers dumped his body in front of his house on Senator Enage street.

Dy’s wife, Anita, had reportedly admitted that her husband was a financier of masiao, an illegal numbers game.

A day after Dy was killed, one Jimmy Tagala, a close friend, intimated to Anita during the wake that he had information about her husband’s killers. Two days later, however, Tagala was found dead.

In its investigation, the NBI regional office identified Cadayong as the principal suspect. He was subsequently arrested.

Cadayong admitted taking part in the killing of both Dy and Tagala in a confession he executed on March 14, 1996 with the aid of his counsel.

Cadayong recalled that on the night of Sept. 9, 1995, Gallo’s group fetched him at the transport terminal where he was working as dispatcher and they boarded an owner-type jeep which he later learned was being driven by Abellanosa, the driver of Mangacat.

They proceeded to Senator Enage street where, he narrated, he saw a man, who turned out to be Dy, being escorted to a tricycle. He and two companions brought Dy to Sampaguita district, passing through Apiton Road, and they entered a compound where Dy allegedly met with Mangacat.

Three hours later, Cadayong said they went out of the compound with Dy being held on both arms and shoulder. They placed Dy’s body inside their vehicle and later dumped it in front of his house.

In a supplemental affidavit on Nov. 13, 1998, Cadayong identified the vehicle bearing the license plate HAP 811. A check with the Land Transportation Office showed that the vehicle was registered under Mangacat’s wife Concepcion.

City prosecutor Federico Hunamayor, who is handling the case, however, said the records which the NBI has transmitted were defective.

"What was sent to us was only one copy of each affidavit and they are only (photo-copied). Since we have to conduct the preliminary investigation, we need the original copies of all sworn statements of all witnesses," he said.

Meanwhile, Chief Superintendent Nardito Yoro, Eastern Visayas police director, said he is thinking of relieving Mangacat as Ormoc police chief because of the murder complaint against him.

Yoro added that Mangacat will no longer be considered for promotion. Earlier, Mangacat was listed as one of those which Camp Crame was promoting to senior superintendent.

"His name was (removed in the list)," Yoro said.