Court frees barangay chief, tanod held for murder of 6

A barangay chairman of Valenzuela City and his watchman accused in the brutal murder of six workers in Caloocan City last month was released yesterday by a court.

Superintendent Napoleon Cuaton, Caloocan City police deputy chief, said Graciano Victoriano, chairman of Barangay Bignay in Valenzuela, and barangay tanod Ricky Flor were set free at around 10:30 a.m. on orders of Caloocan City Regional Trial Court Branch 128 Judge Eleanor Kwong.

"For now, I can do nothing but obey the court order, otherwise I could be charged of contempt of the court," Cuaton said.

At least six more suspects remain at large.

Viewing the court order as "highly irregular," Cuaton said that he would file a motion for reconsideration and would also ask the Department of Justice to conduct its own investigation into the case.

At around 2:30 a.m., last Oct. 1, the bodies of factory workers Remy Ponteros, Juril Mequizo, Ramon Villanueva, Arthur Cardona, Jefferson Agipanan and Jun Azuero, were found riddled with bullets on the main road of Phase 3, Nova Romania Subdivision in Deparo, Caloocan City.

Victoriano, Flor and at least four other barangay watchmen were arrested in Barangay Bignay the following day after vehicles allegedly used in the summary execution of the victims were found at the barangay hall.

At least two witnesses also pointed to Victoriano as the gunman.

Cuaton questioned the judge’s decision, saying Kwong based it only on a motion to withdraw information filed by city prosecutor Nestor Dabalos, citing the affidavit of desistance filed by the relatives of the victims.

"The affidavit of desistance by the relatives of the victims would not be enough basis for dismissing the case," Cuaton said.

"The prosecutor’s move was highly irregular for apart from the police was not informed of his action, the case was already filed in court. The complainants here are already the police."

He said that Dabalos failed to give weight on the testimonies of the two eyewitnesses who have first-hand information on the multiple murder case.

Former Northern Police District director Chief Superintendent Leopoldo Bataoil, also reacted yesterday to the court order.

"I hope that all the police’s painstaking efforts to ensure an airtight case against the suspects would not go down the drain," Bataoil told The STAR. He urged Cuaton to explore all legal remedies "so that justice would be served."