3 former Bacolod policemen get 120-year jail term each for murder

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines - Three former Bacolod policemen were sentenced to reclusion perpetua or three life terms or 120 years each for the kidnapping and murder of a former barangay captain and two maritime instructors in this city almost eight years ago.

Last Tuesday, Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 27 Judge Teresa Soriaso found guilty beyond reasonable doubt former Senior Police Officer 2 Freddie Natividad and Chief Inspectors Clarence Dongail and Jimmy Fortaleza for the kidnapping and murder of Pahanocoy Captain Eleuterio Salabas, Ricardo Suganob and Maximo Lomoljo in August 2003.

Soriaso also ordered the three to pay P300,000 to the families of victims as indemnity for their death and for moral damages and P12,872,635.48 for the loss of their earnings as a result of their deaths, and actual damages.

Aside from life imprisonment, the policemen were also sentenced to suffer two indeterminate prison terms of six months as minimum, to two years and four months as maximum, for arbitrary detention.

Salabas, Suganob and Lomoljo were kidnapped in Bacolod on Aug. 31, 2003, but their bodies were found in the rivers of Bago City and Pulupandan town, Negros Occidental, and in the shores of Ajuy in Iloilo province, several days later.

The Supreme Court had transferred the trial from the regional trial court of Guihulngan, Negros Oriental, where the vehicle allegedly used in the kidnapping was found, to Metro Manila.

But while the three policemen were found guilty, three other accused were acquitted while 18 others are still at-large. There were originally 12 policemen and 12 other civilians accused in the kidnap-murder case.

One of the accused, Loraine Abay, “alias Lulu” was acquitted and was ordered released for the failure of the prosecution to prove her guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

Also acquitted were prosecution witness Cecil “Giant” Brillantes, who was originally one of the accused, and July “Kirhat” Flores.

The cases against the other accused, who are at-large, retired Senior Superintendent Vicente Ponteras, then Negros Occidental police director, retired Superintendent George Bajelot, then director of the Bacolod City Police Office, former Senior Inspector Jonathan Lorilla, PO2 Allen Winston Julleza, SPO2 Nelson Grijaldo, PO1 Dennis Belandres, PO1 Ruel Villacanas, PO1 Bernard Cimatu, retired policeman Ramonito Estanislao, and civilians Manolo Escalante, Ronnie Herrera, Carlos Delos Santos, Mamerto Cañete, Elma Cañete, Elson Cañete, Jude Montilla, Richland Salazar, and seven other “John Does” were ordered archived and will be revived once they are arrested.

Elizabeth Salabas, widow of Salabas said the 54-page promulgation only lasted for about 30 minutes as the judge only read the verdict.

Mrs. Salabas, who was with her children during the promulgation, thanked those who have supported and prayed for them throughout the trial, especially the people of Pahanocoy.

Elizabeth Suganob, sister of Ricardo Suganob, alos said they are happy with the verdict.

Bacolod City Police Office director Senior Supt. Ricardo de la Paz assured the families of the victims that his office will exert all efforts to arrest the remaining suspects who have been elusive for almost eight years now.