HPG-7 cops face more complaints

CEBU, Philippines - The National Bureau of Investigation-7 has filed yesterday another set of charges against Highway Patrol Group -7 accused in the killing of lawyer Noel Archival for allegedly using impounded vehicles.

This time, lawyers Renan Oliva and Erme Monsanto filed the complaints for violation of Republic Act 3019 (Anti-graft and Corrupt Practices Act), RA 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards) and gross misconduct before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas.

“We have filed criminal and administrative complaints against Senior Supt. Romualdo Iglesia, chief of HPG-7; Senior Insp. Joselito Lerion, Chief Inspector Eduardo Mara, Senior Police Officer 1 Edwin Galan and Police Officer 1 Alex Bacani before the Office of the Ombudsman,” Oliva said, adding that the filing of the complaints were made in coordination with the Philippine National Police.

Monsanto said they are also pleading for the court to place the said policemen under preventive suspension during pendency of the complaints so they would not use their positions “to harass and intimidate witnesses and destroy evidence.”

Last Tuesday, the NBI and the PNP filed multiple murder and frustrated murder against Iglesia, Lerion, Galan, Mara, Bacani and unidentified persons before the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office for the death of Archival and companions Alejandro Jayme and Candido Miñoza and wounded Paolo Cortes.

Cortes said they were on their way back to Cebu City when a car suddenly overtook them.  He said they were about to pass a Ceres bus when a red Toyota Vios with license plate GSC 995 blocked them.

Cortes said a silver gray pickup also appeared and went closer to their vehicle. He said men from both the pick-up and the Vios then started firing at them at around 1 p.m.

Based on the investigation,  Lerion has been driving and using a Toyota Vios having the same “distinctive features of the Vios car used in the ambush but sporting a different license plate No. GSC 675.”

Iglesia, on the other hand, had been using a gray Mitsubishi Strada bearing license plate NVO 543.  Based on the logbook entries at the impounding compound of HPG-7 in Sudlon, Lahug, Cebu City.  On Feb. 17, a gray Mitsubishi Strada went out of the same compound and returned the following day at around 4:22 p.m.

On Feb. 18, at about 9:42 a.m., Lerion drove the red Toyota Vios out of the impounding compound and returned at about 3:38 p.m.

The NBI said that on Feb. 24, 2014, at about 9:35 a.m., the gray Mitsubishi Strada with “improvised” plate no. NVO 543 entered the OFF Road Motorshop in barangay Maguikay, Mandaue City, for repairs. However, on March 20, 2014 at about 3:35 p.m., Bacani allegedly hastily took the said vehicle.

March 20 was the day of the implementation of the search warrant issued by the Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Soliver Peras, for the possible seizure of the vehicles used in the ambush-slay of Archival and his companions believed to be in the possession of the respondents.

NBI and PNP investigators only recovered the red Toyota Vios (GSC 675) that was then a subjected to a forensic examination by the NBI Forensic Team, which discovered the presence of gunpowder nitrates residues on the front panel and window frame on the front passenger side, right rear door window frame, and the carpet and seat cover at the front passenger side and rear right side of the car that matched with the firing position of the gunmen during the ambush.

An empty bullet shell was also recovered inside the Vios that matched with the empty shell recovered from the crime scene. The forensic examination also showed the presence of adhesive materials on the gas tank cover of the red Toyota Vios indicating that a sticker was formerly put thereon and recently removed.

The NBI also recovered inside the Vios a court order relating to a case filed by Archival against HPG-7 personnel.

During the surveillance, the NBI and PNP said they found out that HPG-7 personnel were “interchanging and using different plate numbers for other vehicles.”

Provincial Prosecutor Pepita Jane Petralba told the media that she would also be creating a five-man panel to investigate the complaints of multiple murder and frustrated murder filed against, Iglesia, Lerion, Mara, Galan, Bacani and unidentified persons.

Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III, on the other hand, expressed happiness following the filing of criminal charges against the suspects behind the killing of Archival.

He hoped that the case would be resolved the soonest.

Also, while the rest of the accused HPG-7 all declined to issue any statement to the media, Mara stood firm on his statement that he had nothing to do with Archival’s death since he was not in control of the impounding area of HPG-7.

He said he is confident he could explain his whereabouts on the day Archival was killed.

He clarified that while he is recognized as HPG-7 provincial chief, he was not aware of all the vehicles going in and out of the impounding area.

Mara holds four designations with the HPG-7, namely as the provincial chief, deputy regional chief, clearance officer, and administrative officer.

He said he usually reports to Sudlon, Lahug, Cebu City due to the ongoing construction of the proposed HPG-7 provincial office, which was transferred from Cansaga, Consolacion, for ease of accessibility and proximity.

Mara said he has not functioned yet as HPG-7 provincial chief as the provincial office is not yet completed.

Mara said he was only speaking for himself when he obliged the interview with the media.— /RHM (FREEMAN)