6 Cagayan cops in jail for 2011 ‘salvaging’ of 3 men

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Philippines – A regional trial court (RTC) judge has ordered the arrest of a former police chief of a Cagayan town and five of his men for the alleged “salvaging” (summary execution) of three suspected guns-for-hire in the town of Peñablanca in September 2011.

Now detained at the Cagayan provincial jail are former Peñablanca police chief Senior Inspector Jaime Bartolome, Inspector Primo Daquiaog, SPO2 Vicente Malupeng, SPO1 Joeffrey Camarauan, and PO3s Arnel Guiquing and Roven Taguinod.

RTC Judge Reynold Lauigan issued the arrest warrants for murder and frustrated murder against the six policemen and recommended no bail for them.

The police officers were charged for the alleged summary execution of Roger Eustaquio, Jholliber Ligsay and Randy Punzalan who they claimed were killed in a shootout with lawmen in the village of Minanga on Sept. 20, 2011.

A wounded companion of the victims, however, managed to escape and lived to recount their ordeal before the Commission on Human Rights. Police withheld the identity of the witness.