Task Force Ramos files murder case against 2 Army men

CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga — Task Force Ramos investigators have filed murder cases against two Army soldiers and three other unidentified persons with the Tarlac City Prosecutors Office in connection with the Oct. 27 gunslaying of Central Azucarera de Tarlac Labor Union president Ricardo Ramos.

Named respondents in the criminal complaint were Private First Class Roderick de la Cruz, alias Joshua, and Private First Class Romeo Castillo, both from the 24th Infantry "Wildcat" Battalion and assigned at the Special Operations Group (SOG) detachment inside the pool warehouse of CAT in Hacienda Luisita.

Three other unidentified persons were included in the charge sheet, according to the reports submitted by the panel of investigators handling the case of Ramos.

Earlier, De la Cruz and Castillo, strongly denied involvement in the death of Ramos when they were presented to the media by their superior, Major General Jovito Palparan, commanding general of the 7th Infantry Division, stationed in Fort Magsaysay in Palayan City.

Both soldiers said that they had nothing to do with the death of Ramos and expressed willingness to face any investigating body. The soldiers were aided by a military lawyer when presented to the media several weeks ago, here.

Task Force Ramos has completed gathering statements of witnesses and noted that there were no direct testimonies identifying the two soldiers as the gunmen in the killing of Ramos.

One of the witnesses, whose name was withheld for security reasons, stated in his affidavit that the suspects were the same persons looking for the victim shortly before the shooting occurred.