Quezon cops get 2 life terms over death of mayor’s son, aide
LUCENA CITY – After almost four years of trial, the court convicted three dismissed policemen who have been charged with the 2019 murder of a Quezon town mayor’s son and his aide in Tayabas City.
Dismissed were a police lieutenant colonel, a former station commander of the Tayabas City Police Station, and his men – a corporal and a patrolman – who were sentenced to two life imprisonments each by Judge Dennis Orendain of the Lucena City Regional Trial Court (RTC), Branch 53 on Thursday.
The suspects have been detained at Quezon District Jail in Pagbilao, Quezon, for killing Christian Gayeta, 21, son of Sariaya Mayor Marcelo Gayeta, and Christian Manalo, 38, in Tayabas City on the night of March 13, 2019.
The victims reportedly died in a shootout after they were flagged down at a police checkpoint.
Mayor Gayeta sought the assistance of Dominador Villanueva, the then agent in charge of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Lucena district office.
The NBI finally got testimonies of four policemen involved in the incident, disclosing that it was not an encounter but “murder” carried out by policemen themselves.
Villanueva’s team was also able to gather physical evidence, including camera footage showing the two victims still alive while handcuffed and facing the ground shortly after they were flagged down by cops manning a checkpoint.
The footage taken by a rookie cop yielded the camera to Villanueva.
In a resolution dated October 17, signed by then Police Regional Office (PRO) 4-A commander Brig. General Edward Carranza, the PNP- Regional Internal Affairs Service (RIAS), ordered the “dismissal” from the service of the suspects.
After the case promulgation, Mayor Gayeta expressed relief and gratefulness for the court verdict.
“Tatlong taon, siyam na buwan at dalawampu’t walong araw kaming naghintay, sa wakas ay dumating din ang aming pinakahihintay. Salamat sa Diyos,” said Gayeta in a brief interview by local newsmen.
