Road rage victim laid to rest; Ateneans form legal panel

As Ateneo law graduate Jose Ramon Llamas was laid to rest yesterday, members of the Aquila Legis fraternity vowed to bring their fallen brother’s killer to justice.

Former Presidential Legislative Liaison Office Secretary Jimmy Policarpio told reporters that a legal team composed of fraternity brothers has been formed for the prosecution of the Llamas case.

Policarpio, a former officer of the fraternity and a graduate of the Ateneo Law School Class ’67, said the three-lawyer panel is led by Vic Verdadero, of Class ’71.

The lawyers would also help the witnesses, one of whom was able to see the gunman’s face, he added. The panel is also coordinating with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Policarpio said as soon as Llamas’ killer is arrested, the fraternity would begin advocating for a "totally" gunless society.

"We would advocate for a gunless society but the fraternity moves according to priorities and the first step for us is the arrest of the gunman," Policarpio said.

He said the fraternity would help the Llamas family obtain justice first before thinking about raising a reward money for information leading to the arrest of suspected gunman Cola Ditato.

"Right now, we are still raising funds to sustain the legal requirements for the prosecution of the case," Policarpio said.

Llamas, 26 was cremated yesterday afternoon at the Loyola Memorial Crematorium in Parañaque.

Dressed in black and white, almost a hundred relatives, friends, and Aquila Legis fraternity members attended the necrological service held at the St. Alphonsus de Ligouri chapel in Magallanes Village.

The Ateneo law graduate was shot dead last Jan. 10 in Pasay City following a traffic-related altercation.

The NBI has tagged Ditato as the suspect in the slay case after the gunman’s motorcycle was traced by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to his name.

Ditato, 33, closed his dry goods store at the Kadiwa Complex in Dasmariñas, Cavite, the weekend after the shooting incident and has gone into hiding with his wife.