Cops tag as behind Mayor Aquino killing

CITING ‘weak of evidence,’ a regional trial court in Calbayog City granted the appeal of nine police officials who were all accused in the murder of Mayor Ronaldo Aquino for their temporary liberty.

Judge Maricar Lucero, the presiding judge of Regional Trial Court- Branch 41, granted the motion of the accused for bail on Tuesday (March 7), a day before the commemoration of the second death anniversary of the shooting and killing of Aquino and three others.

Last March 8, 2021, Aquino was shot to death inside his vehicle while traversing a bridge in Barangay Lonoy by a group of armed men, later identified to be policemen, on his way to attend the birthday celebration of his son, Mark.

Aside from Aquino, also killed were his driver Dennis Abayon, security escort Rodio Sario, and Clint Paul Yauder, a civilian who happened to on the area during the incident.
The slain mayor’s other security aide, Mansfield Laboni, survived the gun attack.

Each of the nine police suspects, Lt.Col. Harry Sucayre; Major Shyrile Tan; Capt.Dino Goles; Lt.Julio Armeza, Jr.,SSG Neil Cebu; SG Edsel Omega; Pat. Niño Salem; SSG Randy Merelos; and Cpl. Julius Garcia were allowed to post P120,000 bail for their temporary liberty.

All accused are currently detained at the Calbayog city district jail. They were charged for murder and frustrated murder filed by the National Bureau of Investigation.

“For failure to establish strong and convincing evidence of guilt for the crime of murder, accused Harry Sucayre, Neil Cebu, Shyrile Tan, Sandino Goles,Julio Armeza,Edsel Omega,Niño Salem,Julius Garcia, and Randy Merilos must be admitted to bail in the amount of P120,000 for each of them in each of the cases,” part of the court decision said.
The court, however, stressed that by granting bail to the accused, will ensure of their appearance during trials and for them not to commit further crimes.

“Thus, bail acts as a reconciling mechanism to accommodate both the accused’s interest in his provisional liberty before or during trial, and the society’s interest in assuring the accused’s presence at trial,” it added.

The granting of bail by the court was criticized by Atty. Alma Uy, the lawyer of the Aquino family.

Uy said that they find it shocking and disheartening that the decision came out a day before the third-year anniversary on the murder of Aquino, who was serving on his second term when he was gunned down.

“Despite (the) overwhelming evidence against the policemen accused, the judge rules to grant them bail, during pendency of trial in the murder cases. Evidence that the NBI gathered and presented in court were ignored. Witnesses had risked their lives in testifying against the accused, only for the judge to declare, that evidence is weak,” Uy said on her social media account.

“And it had to be timed with the commemoration of their death? While today, Calbayognons recall and relive the pain of the brutal murder of a beloved mayor, his killers will be set free, to dance upon his grave,” she added.

Aquino took the post as Calbayog city mayor in May 2011 after the sitting mayor at that time, Reynaldo Uy, was killed in a gun attack in Hinabangan town while attending a fiesta-related event.

The murder of Uy remains unsolved.
(JOEY A. GABIETA/ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY-The Philippine Army in the region has initiated the Ready Reserve Unit (RRU) and Affiliated Reserve Unit (ARU) mobilization plan workshop “to ensure the readiness of the reserve force in the region.”

Col. Erwin Rommel Lamzon, the assistant division commander for Reservist and Retiree Affairs of the 8th Infantry Division, along with Col. Castor Bahin, head of the 8th Regional Community Defense Group (8RCDG)-Reserve Command, maintained “the need to have at hand a ready mobilization plan for the reservists to pave the way in case of any emergency that may arise in Eastern Visayas.”

During the recently-concluded mobilization plan workshop at the 8RCDG-Reserve Command headquarters in Ormoc City, the military officials identified the areas in the region that can be accessible by reservists.

The workshop’s participants also reconciled their records on the status of the reservists in the region.

The event was attended by 8RCDG operations officer Lt.Col. Arturo Dumalagan, 805 Community Defense Center (CDC) director Major Douglas Padillo, 801 CDC officer-in-charge Second Lieutenant Ronnie Jay Adaon, administrative officer Second Lieutenant Ma. Rodelyn Vera, Group sergeant major Master Sergeant Raul Doliendo, and other key non-commissioned officers.

The RRU and ARU mobilization plan aligned with section 48 of the Republic Act 7077, also known as the Citizen Armed Forces of the Philippines Reservist Act.
(RONALD O. REYES)

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ORMOC CITY-At least eight sachets of suspected shabu were recovered by operatives in a buy-bust operation from a man identified to be a priority target in San Roque, Northern Samar on Wednesday (March 8) at about 11:30 am.

The police identified the suspect as Jessie Mark Lobos, 26, and a resident of Brgy. Balud, also in San Roque, and is tagged as a priority target list.

Recovered from the possession of the suspect were eight sachets of suspected shabu with a commercial value of more than P7,000.

Charges of violation of RA 9165, the Comprehensive Law against Illegal Drugs of 2002, were filed against the suspect who is temporarily detained at the locked-up cell of San Roque municipal police station. (ROBERT DEJON)

TACLOBAN CITY– A man was arrested at a checkpoint in Allen town, Northern Samar on Wednesday (March 8) seizing with him a firearm and some ammunition.

Mark Jude Beato Balleras, 52, and a resident of Barangay Tinambacan Sur, Calbayog City was discovered to have in his possession a Caliber 45 with four magazines, and 46 ammunitions.

The discovery of a firearm from the suspect came about after Remegio Fajardo, who is from Calamba, Laguna, complained to personnel assigned at a checkpoint in Brgy. Jubasan, Allen town.

Fajardo said that while he was traversing along Brgy. Salvacion, San Isidro, also in Northern Samar, the vehicle driven by the suspect overtook him and pointed his firearm against him.

This prompted Fajardo to report the incident to the police personnel detailed at the checkpoint in Jubasan. In turn, the police flagged down Balleras where the firearm and ammunition were discovered in his possession.

Balleras is now detained at the Allen municipal police station.
B/Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil, the police regional director, said that the arrest of the suspect is a testament that the Task Force Maharlika he put up is working.

The said task force was put in place by Marbil to secure the Maharlika Highway from Allen, Northern Samar to San Ricardo, Southern Leyte, and deter the occurrence of a crime.

“The incident is now under investigation. We assure the public that we will be just and fair. Also, I’m calling the attention of everybody, especially those who have criminal intent that you will not succeed so long TF Maharlika is on guard,” he said in a statement.
(ROBERT DEJON/LIZBETH ANN A ABELLA)