THE Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday began its preliminary investigation on the complaint for murder and perjury filed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) against several police officers who figured in a shootout with security personnel of Pilar, Abra Vice Mayor Jaja Josefina Disono.

The incident last March 30 left one of Disono’s men dead. He was identified as Sandee Boy Bermudo.

Charged with murder and perjury were PNP-CAR Regional Director PBGEN Ronald Lee; PNP-Abra Provincial Director POL Maly Castillo Cula; Abra Provincial Intelligence Unit Chief PLTCOL

Melencio Mina; Pilar-MPS Acting Chief of Police PCPT Ronaldo Eslabra; PT Boyd Leeson Dom-Oguen Kis-Ing; PAT Frenzel Paus Alperez; PCPL Allan Dale Sabiano; PCPL Joedel Jove; PCPL Ariel

Felipe; PAT Pietro Delmar Aveño; PMS Sandy Claveria; PCPL Chrisler D. Lucas; Comelec election officer Rodrigo Basa II.

Several other unidentified police officers assigned at Regional Mobile Force Battalion 15, police officers assigned at Pilar Municipal Police Station (MPS), and

Police officers assigned at the Provincial Intelligence Unit, Abra Provincial Police Office were also included in the complaint.

NBI investigation showed that Disono’s convoy of vehicles were allegedly fired upon by the respondent police officers after they allegedly ignored a police checkpoint last March 30.

The police claimed they were manning a Comelec checkpoint along Berona Street in Pilar town but a CCTV footage showed otherwise, as there was no checkpoint in the vicinity when the incident occurred, the NBI said.

Also, a CCTV footage disputed the police’s claim that one of their vehicles was fired upon by Disono’s men.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Hector Lawas