Arrest warrants served to 2 Batangas cops for twin slays

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna, Philippines – Police yesterday served arrest warrants to two Batangas policemen tagged in the killing of two female preachers of the Jesus Is Lord (JIL) Movement in August last year.

Senior Superintendent Jireh Omega Fidel, Batangas police director, said his men served the warrants for murder issued by Tanauan City Regional Trial Court Judge Arcadio Manigbas to PO3s Jose Rico Benitez and Mhelven Pagkaliwangan, who belong to the Malvar and Lipa City police, respectively.

The two law enforcers were tagged as principal suspects in the killing of JIL preachers Adelaida Fabricante, 46, and Leonila Café, 48, both residents of Balete town, whose bodies were found on a road on the night of Aug. 6, 2013.

Benitez and Pagkaliwangan have denied the allegations, insisting that the two women were hit-and-run victims.

They had been relieved from their posts and ordered to report to the provincial police headquarters at Camp Miguel Malvar for administrative and criminal investigation.

They had been temporarily detained for nearly four months before the court issued the arrest warrants against them on Wednesday, Fidel said.

Balete Mayor Jovencio Hidalgo ordered a re-investigation of the case after thousands of JIL followers gathered in front of the town hall to condemn the deaths of their two colleagues.

The two victims had just come from a JIL prayer meeting in Barangay Magape when they were killed. Their bodies bore signs that they were hit by a hard object on the head, back and face and that their legs were punched. Their necks also bore strangulation marks.

Their colleagues recalled that they decided to hitch a ride with Benitez and Pagkaliwangan on their patrol car as there were no more public transport vehicles that on the night of Aug. 6, 2013.