Ombudsman clears police official, 2 others of murder

After almost six years of nerve-wracking struggle to prove their innocence, a Manila police officer and two of his men have finally been cleared by the Ombudsman and the People’s Law Enforcement Board (PLEB) of charges filed against them.

In its decision dated Sept. 11, 2000, the Ombudsman dismissed the case of murder filed against Chief Inspector Antonio Entico, SPO2 Fernando Timbang and PO1 Evans Buyser for insufficiency of evidence.

The charge against a fourth respondent, SPO3 Reynaldo Morales, was, however, modified to a lesser offense of homicide which the Ombudsman recommended to be filed in the Manila Regional Trial Court.

The PLEB likewise dismissed the charges of grave misconduct and reckless imprudence resulting in homicide filed against the three policemen, while Morales was ordered dismissed from the service. The decision was handed down on Jan. 10, 2002.

Both decisions were received by the respondent-policemen only recently.

The charges against the four policemen were filed by relatives of Engelbert Lagman, who died in 1996 while under the custody of the Plaza Miranda Police Kababayan Center under the command of Entico, then a senior inspector.

Records showed that on Nov. 10, 1996 a drunk Lagman was brought for safekeeping to the Plaza Miranda PCP by his friend Ricky Laurente for creating trouble. Timbang and Buyser assisted several barangay kagawads in apprehending Lagman.

At about 2 p.m. of Nov. 11, Lagman reportedly committed suicide by stabbing his left eye with the handle of a spoon. The post mortem findings indicated that the victim sustained multiple contusions and splinter wounds and a puncture wound in his left eye. Records also showed that it was Morales who was with the victim at the time of his alleged suicide.

Relatives of Lagman filed charges against the three policemen at the Ombudman and the PLEB including Entico for command responsibility. – Nestor Etolle