THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Wednesday asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to prosecute for kidnapping and murder the police intelligence and drug enforcement unit chief of the City of San Jose del Monte (CSJDM), Bulacan and 10 other cops, who allegedly detained six persons before killing two of them in a “bogus” anti-illegal drug operation last February.
Charged before the DOJ were Police Maj. Leo de la Rosa, chief of the PNP-CSJDM Intelligence Section/City Drug Enforcement Unit, along with Police Staff Sgts. Benjie Enconado, Jayson Legaspi, Irwin Joy Yuson, and Edmund Catubay Jr.; Cpls. Jay Marc Leoncio, Herbert Hernandez, Raymond Bayan, and Paul Malgapo; and Patrolmen Erwin Sabido and Rusco Madla, who are all operatives of the city’s drug intelligence and drug enforcement unit.
The NBI-Death Investigation Division (DID) filed criminal complaints of kidnapping/serious illegal detention with murder; violation of Section 38, Article V of Republic Act 1059, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act; and violation of Section 29, Article II of RA 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 against the police officers after gathering sufficient material evidence and testimonies from eyewitnesses.
The complaint was filed in connection with the deaths of Erwin Mergal and Jim Joshua Cordero, who were allegedly abducted and illegally detained together with four other victims Edmar Asprin, Richard Salgado, Chamberlain Domingo, and Chadwin Santos last February 13.
The NBI filed the case in behalf of the complainants Jasmin, who is the widow of Mergal; and Rochill, the mother of Cordero.
Based on the evidence gathered by the NBI, the police officers conducted a buy-bust operation at Towerville, Barangay Santo Cristo, CSJDM against a certain individual.
While waiting for the scene of the crime operatives (SOCO) to process the evidence that they have collected, the victims who were just passing by the area, were also apprehended and brought to the CSJDM Police Office on board a white van.
The NBI said the victims were reportedly blindfolded, hogtied and placed inside a room at the Intelligence Office of the police station, instead of undergoing booking and documentation procedures.
But according to the police spot report, Mergal and Cordero were killed at around 12:30 a.m. of February 18 in an illegal-drug operation at a secluded area along Pacolis Road, Barangay Gaya-Gaya, CSJDM, Bulacan.
The NBI, however, said there were witnesses who saw the six individuals being accosted and then blindfolded and handcuffed by the police officers.
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