Court orders arrest of trader who threatened Cavite fiscal

MANILA, Philippines - A Cavite court has ordered the arrest of a businessman earlier disarmed by police after allegedly threatening to kill provincial prosecutor Emmanuel Velasco, son of former National Bureau of Investigation director Epimaco Velasco.

Judge Aurelio Icasiano Jr. of Trece Martires, Cavite regional trial court (RTC) issued last Wednesday a warrant ordering the arrest of Victor Murillo in connection with another case for estafa and falsification of documents filed by businesswoman Cecilia Fernandez.

The RTC granted Murillo’s provisional release on bail of P40,000.

In the complaint filed by regional prosecutor Ernesto Mendoza last Nov. 14, Murillo and three others were accused of duping Fernandez in the questionable importation of textile materials.

Fernandez alleged that Murillo duped her in 2009 by representing that he could facilitate the release of several rolls of imported fabrics from the Cavite Export Processing Zone Authority through his contacts in the Bureau of Customs.

Murillo collected some P800,000 from the complainant as initial payment for the fabrics and taxes, but instead delivered inferior textile materials. Sale of products being manufactured in the processing zone to the local markets is prohibited, as it constitutes smuggling.

Fernandez had filed separate charges against Murillo for allegedly threatening to kill her after she filed the estafa and falsification complaint.

Murillo, who claimed to be an NBI agent, was disarmed by the police last October after he allegedly threatened to kill fiscal Velasco and Fernandez.

The Cavite provincial police led by Senior Superintendent John Bulalacao seized 10 high-powered firearms from Murillo upon revocation of their permits by PNP-Firearms and Explosives Office.