Survivor in Archival ambush asks faster probe vs suspects

CEBU, Philippines - The lawyer of the lone survivor in the ambush of lawyer Noel Archival is asking Camp Crame to hasten the proceedings against former officials of the Highway Patrol Group-7 who are tagged as main suspects in the killing.

“In view of the foregoing, the undersigned therefore moves and requests your good office to fast track the summary dismissal proceedings of these fugitives,” reads the letter of Rameses Victorius Villagonzalo, counsel for Paolo Cortes.

Villagonzalo said that because Senior Supt. Romualdo Iglesia, Senior Insp. Joselito Lerion, and PO1 Alex Bacani are nowhere to be found in Camp Crame where they were held temporarily, they can be held liable for being absent without official leave.

“Since they are considered unaccounted for, the charge of Absent Without Official Leave sets in.

And pursuant to precedence, these accused can be dismissed based on a separate grave misconduct charge [AWOL] before the PNP aside from the grave misconduct charge they are facing before the Ombudsman for the MOLEO for the brutal killing of Atty. Noel D. Archival and his companions,” the letter-complaint reads.

The three policemen were assigned at the Personnel Holding and Accounting Section, Highway Patrol Group in Camp Crame, Quezon City, after they were relieved from their post at HPG-7 following the investigation of the multiple murder and frustrated murder charges against them.

Iglesia, Lerion, and Bacani were reportedly no longer at the PHAS since December 12, 2014.

Cortes, through his lawyer, earlier sent a letter to Brigadier General Arnold M. Quiapo, chief intelligence service of the AFP at the Camp Emilio Aguinaldo in Quezon City and Lt. General John Bonafos, AFP vice chief of staff, asking for assistance to find Iglesia, Lerion, and Bacani.

Villagonzalo said that on December 11, 2014 Regional Trial Court Judge Maximo Perez of Branch 26 in Argao issued the warrant of arrest against the accused.

However, the warrant was returned “unserved” because the three policemen were no longer at their known address at PHAS, said Supt. Elizabeth Velasquez, spokesperson of the Philippine National Police HPG in Camp Crame.

Archival and his companions were ambushed on February 18, 2014 in Barangay Corro, Dalagute while on their way to Cebu City.  (FREEMAN)