De la Victoria slay case: Prosecution to present its third witness today

The prosecution panel in the murder of Bantay Dagat project director Elpidio "Jojo" de la Victoria will present today its third witness, who allegedly was able to talk to the other policeman who served as backup of the accused, SPO1 Marcial Ocampo.

Lawyer Rameses Villagonzalo, one of the private prosecutors, said that the prosecution's third witness is William Gerali, a brother-in-law of De la Victoria.

Villagonzalo said that Gerali was the one who saw Ocampo's police badge clipped to his waist when the latter pulled out a magazine from there. Ocampo reportedly changed the magazine of his cal. 45 cal. pistol when people started chasing him after he allegedly shot De la Victoria.

It was also Gerali who Ocampo threatened to shoot before the latter boarded a tricycle to escape. Villagonzalo, however, said that Gerali's testimony on the suspected police backup of Ocampo is still immaterial at this time until the suspect is arrested.

Villagonzalo also admitted that it is still difficult at this stage to identify the mastermind and bring him to court even if the other conspirators of the case are arrested, unless one of them will admit and testify.

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group confirmed the earlier information reported by The Freeman that a member of the Regional Mobile Group who went absent without official leave served as Ocampo's backup and driver of the supposed get-away motorcycle.

Residents of Ramona Village in barangay San Roque, Talisay City told The Freeman about it during the ocular inspection conducted by judge Ireneo Lee Gako, Jr. last week.

According to the sources, the backup stayed at the junction of the road leading to Ramona Village and Rabaya Street. Gerali was reportedly able to talk to him several minutes before the victim was shot.

De la Victoria was shot last April 12 a few minutes after he arrived from work as market administrator and Bantay Dagat project director of Cebu City. He was rushed to the Chong Hua Hospital and but died the following day. - Fred P. Languido