Top prosecutor takes Llamas case

To expedite the resolution of the murder charge against the suspected killer of Ateneo law graduate Jose Ramon Llamas, the Pasay City chief prosecutor said yesterday he has decided to personally handle the case.

But City Prosecutor Francisco Beron Jr. quickly doused speculations that he has given special treatment to the case.

"The assistant prosecutors are loaded with cases right now so I decided to handle this one just to expedite the resolution," he said.

Beron, a graduate of the Manuel L. Quezon University (MLQU) College of Law, explained that chief prosecutors are authorized to decide whether or not to personally handle cases.

He scheduled the preliminary investigation’s first hearing on Feb. 18.

Beron is also set to issue a subpoena to suspect Basher Abdulrahman, who remains at large.

Llamas’ family and friends, together with the Pasay City police and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), have put up a P750,000 reward for any information leading to the suspect’s arrest.

Recommendations of investigating fiscals are not yet final until after approved by the city’s chief prosecutor. Cases are filed before the court based on the resolutions signed by the city chief prosecutor.

Authorities explained they decided to file a murder case, not homicide, against Abdulrahman because of the treachery involved in the killing that took place last Jan. 10.

The autopsy reports revealed that Llamas was about to write something on a piece of paper and had his back toward the gunman when he was shot.

Moreover, the gunman shot Llamas twice more as the 26-year-old lay on the road bleeding.

Aside from the sworn statement of the NBI medico-legal, also submitted as evidence against Abdulrahman were sworn statements of witnesses and the results of the ballistic test that showed that the slugs found in the crime scene matched the suspect’s Taurus .9mm. – Nikko Dizon