Cabanatuan cops wrap up probe of 2 ‘cremated persons’
CABANATUAN CITY – The Cabanatuan City police has wrapped up its investigation on the February 17 alleged “suicide incident” involving two dead persons found with bullet wounds whose bodies were “immediately cremated for still unknown reasons,” it was learned.
This shooting incident drew a sharp reaction from Nueva Ecija Governor Aurelio M. Umali, who during his Feb. 21 teleradio program questioned the “haste” by which the alleged cremation was done when a police investigation was still underway.
Cabanatuan City Police head Lt. Col. Edilmar G. Alviar said the two victims, a 51-year-old woman and a 25-year-old male, a house helper, both stay-ins of Barangay Aduas Centro this city.
He said it was concluded that the said shooting incident was a “combination” of a homicide and a suicide case.
“Based on facts on hand, it can be concluded that (the male victim) has committed homicide by shooting (the female victim) to the head with the use of a short firearm (cal. 22 revolver) and thereafter committed suicide by shooting himself,” said Alviar, quoting their three-page investigation report dated Feb. 20.
The shooting incident allegedly occurred at the second floor of the house owned by an assistant provincial prosecutor in the province, said Alviar, adding that it was “triggered” after the duo got embroiled in a “heated argument.”
He said it was recommended that the case be deemed “dropped and closed” after the relatives of the two dead persons opted to forego the conduct of Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) at the site, including the autopsy of their bodies and the subsequent criminal investigation of the incident.
Earlier, Umali, a lawyer, reacted and questioned the circumstances behind said “rapid” cremation incident saying it “impeded justice as if somebody wanted to cover up something or what.”
Alviar said their follow-up investigation was an offshoot of a verbal instruction from Nueva Ecija top cop Col. Richard V. Caballero to determine the truth if the said case involved “murder” or “suicide.”
