Police mull legal action vs Cavite prosecutor

MANILA, Philippines - The Calabarzon police are mulling legal action against a Cavite prosecutor for releasing vital evidence in the Bacoor shooting incident on May 10, which left two security personnel of Rep. Plaridel Abaya dead.

Chief Superintendent Aaron Fidel, head of the Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) Bacoor 2010 said the release of several vehicles and other actions of prosecutor Emmanuel Velasco showed him favoring the camp of the Abayas.Fidel said they would ask Velasco to inhibit himself from the shooting incident case.

In the disposition order issued May 26, Velasco cited a letter from Bernard Ordon, representative of Abaya, who filed the request for the release of vital evidence (items) involved in the May 10, Bacoor shooting incident.

Release orders

The letter also contains release orders of vehicles and other personal items duly signed by Velasco. It was also Velasco who approved the recommendation of Assistant Provincial Prosecutor Vivian Monzon-Rojo to the release of the group of Abaya from the custody of the Cavite Police Provincial Office on May 11, who were indicted by CIDG-Cavite of direct assault, violation of the Omnibus Election Code and illegal possession of firearms.

Fidel said a legal team will be filing their opposition on the said release order after careful evaluation found out that the same are not in order, considering that the proofs of ownership of the vehicles were not clearly established by the Abayas.

The four vehicles, a Mitsubishi Grandis (XTG- 413); Hyundai Grace (XCG-664); Ford Everest (NNI-956) and a Montero Sport (NPO-359) were not registered in the name of Abaya. However, the Abaya camp is claiming for the release of the vehicle in their favor, said Fidel.

Certificate of registration

A certificate of registration of the Montero Sport (NPO-359) showed it is registered to Step Asia Inc. with office address at 110088 Corporate Center Salcedo Village Makati City. There was no showing that the Abayas owned the vehicle.

Fidel noted that during the attack at the Bacoor municipal police station on May 10, Velasco was one of the persons present when the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) team conducted inventory of evidence at the crime scene.

“He (Velasco) even signed the list/inventory of evidence as shown in the SOCO after -operation report wherein he affixed his signature as one of the witnesses during the said recovery of evidence. Now he is denying that he conducted ocular inspection of the crime scene,” Fidel said.

A Col. Obillo and one Sgt. Paraiso were killed in the said attack.

When reached for comment, Velasco insisted that the release of the vehicles and other personal items were done in accordance with the law. The PNP Bacoor was even furnished a copy of the request, yet they did not file any opposition thereto, he said.

“What were ordered released were the vehicles and other strictly personal properties not directly related to the charges against the Abayas for assault against agents or persons in authority and violation of the Omnibus Election Code. These are not vital evidence unlike the guns and bullets,” Velasco pointed out.