Broker denies complicity in guard's death

CEBU, Philippines - A customs broker who has been implicated in the killing of a security guard in a posh subdivision in barangay Lawaan III in Talisay City has maintained his innocence and has vowed to cooperate with the investigation.

In a press conference yesterday, Vicente Raguindin, 54, married, the person who has been alleged as the mastermind in the killing of security guard Rolly Rodrigo, vehemently denied the allegation reasoning that he was in Dumaguete City to receive his award as Outstanding Customs Broker of the year when the incident took place.

Raguindin said he has been a recipient of the Outstanding Customs Broker award for 2006, 2007, 2008, and this year.

He said although he arrived in Cebu a night after the incident, he did not sleep in their subdivision after a neighbor called him to advise him not to be complacent since some relatives of the victim are in the subdivision intent to retaliate.

However, he said that he was able to inform Talisay Police chief P/Supt. Henry Biñas he could not go home but said his telephone line is always open should the police wish to talk to him.

"I called to tell him that my cellular phone is open in case he wants to invite me," Raguindin said.

He said he would be willing to be investigated but not undergo a polygraph test as advised by his lawyer Ricardo Baquial because such test is unreliable and is inadmissible in court.

Wa sad nuon pud koy plano nga mo-file ug kiha batok niadtong mga tawo nga mi-implicate nako aron dili na samot pa nga moinit ang isyu apan kon pabilin gyud silang nagduda nako, which is not fair, I will be forced to file legal action if padayon ko nila implicate sa kaso without any legal basis," Raguindin said. (FREEMAN)