Caloocan official's killer identified, but kin refuse to press charges

MANILA, Philippines - One of the men who shot ambushed and killed a Caloocan City official last June 28 has been identified but the city police has yet to file charges since the victim’s relatives refuse to cooperate with investigators, an official said yesterday.

Chief Inspector Ronald Perilla said two witnesses were able to identify one of the four men involved in the murder of Ruben Merrera, 45, officer-in-charge of the environmental sanitation services of North Caloocan City Hall. He said the gunman is a known contract killer and a notorious robber, but declined to name the suspect pending the filing of charges.

“We have witnesses, our documents are complete but we are lacking complainants,” Perilla told The STAR.

Perilla said that Merrera was buried Sunday in Pangasinan, his home province. An investigator, who requested anonymity, said Merrera’s widow, Jovita, 38, who works at the North Caloocan City Hall as a dentist, is hesitant to talk to them.

She also refused to surrender Merrera’s cell phone, which the investigator believes could provide vital information. According to the investigator, Jovita is still in Pangasinan.

Mayor Enrico Echiverri has offered a P200,000 reward for any information that would help police arrest Merrera’s killers.