AFTER CRIMINAL COMPLAINT’S DISMISSAL: Police to deepen probe vs Geverola

CEBU, Philippines — Following the Cebu City Prosecutor's Office’s dismissal of the robbery in band complaint against Jigger Geverola for insufficiency of evidence, the Police Regional Office (PRO)-7 assured that it would deepen its investigation into the Nov. 25 Oro Sugbo Pawnshop and Jewelry store robbery and collect more evidence.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare, PRO-7 spokesperson, acknowledged that while they indeed have evidence against Geverola, they understand the prosecutor’s position of looking for evidence that warrants "reasonable certainty of conviction," which is like having a prima facie evidence.

He said they used a lower standard of "probable cause based on personal knowledge of facts and circumstances" in proceeding with the filing of the criminal complaint.

In an extra-judicial confession, two men accused of being among the four who robbed the pawnshop pointed at Geverola as the one who ordered them to bring the getaway vehicle to Argao, Cebu.

“This is the basis why the police pushed through with the case.  We have probable cause and we stand by that,” Pelare said.

The Office of the Prosecutor, in a resolution by Assistant City Prosecutor Misty Leah Escolar-Hupp and approved by Deputy City Prosecutor Maria Luisa Ratilla, however, dismissed the complaint “without prejudice” to its refiling,

This means the police could file the same complaint again once it has gathered enough or sufficient evidence that could warrant a conviction against Geverola.

The filing was merely based on the confession of Jordan Baquiano and Dan Carlo Flores implicating Geverola.

"In this case, not all of the foregoing requisites are present. The existence of a conspiracy involving Jigger has not been sufficiently established," read part of the Office of the Prosecutor’s resolution. —/RHM (FREEMAN)