For bungling rape-slay probe Investigators ordered to take refresher course

Owning up procedural lapses in the investigation of the rape-slay of a 13-year-old girl in Carcar town last year wherein the father and the uncle of the victim were unjustly accused of the crime, Cebu Provincial Police chief Vicente Loot is ordering all police investigators in the province to take a refresher course.

Loot admitted that the Carcar police committed procedural lapses in the investigation of the case because they relied too much on the testimony of their witness without the back-up of physical evidence.

The Carcar police filed the charges of rape with homicide against brothers Maximo and Concordio Laputan, father and uncle of the victim, respectively.

Carcar police chief Teofilo Siclot based the filing of the case on the testimony of their only witness, Ronnie Tabora, who later owned up his participation in the crime.

"Dunay procedural lapses kay the Carcar police relied too much on the testimony of the witness nga way back-up nga physical evidence," Loot said over dyLA.

Such lapses, prompted him to send his police investigators to attend a back-to-basic seminar, which will be jointly organized by him and the prosecutor's office.

Loot said the police investigators will be taught how to gather and handle evidence of the crime and the proper crime scene investigation.

Meanwhile, Loot said he will ask Siclot to explain his statement that he will pursue the investigation of the case and have it re-filed before the court.

Loot said Siclot can no longer re-file the case because the two accused have already been acquitted. He said doing so would be a violation of the rule on double jeopardy.

Regional Trial Court judge Raphael Yrastorza Sr. acquitted the Laputan brothers for lack of evidence and even admonished the prosecutor for "hastily" filing the case. - Fred P. Languido