THREE policemen linked to the killing of a Spanish national in an anti-illegal drugs operation in Siargao Islands in 2020 surrendered to Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla Thursday last week, the Department of Justice yesterday announced.
Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group chief Brig. Gen. Romeo Caramat accompanied the three when they surrendered to Remulla.
“Now that the accused policemen have surrendered to the authorities, the courts will now have jurisdiction over their persons and will be able to continue trial of the untimely death of Diego Bello Lafuente,” Remulla said.
The DOJ failed to name the cops who have just surrendered to Remulla.
The surrenderers were Capt. Wise Vicente B. Panuelos, Sgt. Ronel A. Pazo, and Sgt. Nido Boy E. Cortes.
The complainants in the cases were the government of Spain, through the Office of the Consul General of Spain in Manila, Maria Del Pilar Lafuente, and Jose Alberto Bello Rivas.
The Office of the Prosecutor General recommended the immediate indictment of the three police officers for murder and planting of evidence.
According to the DOJ resolution, in the early morning of January 8, 2020, operatives of the General Luna Municipal Police Station, Surigao Del Norte headed by respondent Panuelos who was then the chief of police, together with respondents Pazo and Cortes, as well as elements from the 1302nd Regional Mobile Force Battalion, conducted a buy-bust operation against Lafuente, who was allegedly the number one drug personality in the Caraga Region.
During the operation, the respondent-lawmen claimed that Lafuente drew a firearm and fired at them, forcing them to defend themselves and shoot back, resulting in the Spaniard’s death.
A firearm, a Para-Ordnance pistol cal 45, and 8.3326 grams of cocaine were allegedly recovered by authorities from Lafuente.
However, after evaluation of the evidence submitted by the National Bureau of Investigation, the panel of prosecutors who handled the preliminary investigation found out that there was sufficient ground to charge the respondents with murder and planting of evidence under the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act of 2013.
