DOJ ends probe on Quezon City prosecutor’s murder

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice (DOJ) concluded yesterday its preliminary investigation on the murder charges filed against three policemen tagged in the killing of Quezon City deputy prosecutor Rogelio Velasco in May last year.

Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Peter Ong submitted for resolution the complaint filed against Senior Police Officer 2 Rodante Sicat Laimarmo, PO3 Arthur Yasonio Lucy and PO1 Jose Lunar Mercado by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Ong said they reviewed closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage showing the respondents meeting at the Quezon Memorial Circle before allegedly carrying out the killing.

The police officers had claimed that they were not at the crime scene at the time Velasco was killed.

They said they do not know each other.

Apart from the CCTV footage, the NBI also submitted the statements of witnesses to the DOJ.

Velasco was in his red Toyota Innova along Holy Spirit Drive in Barangay Holy Spirit when he was ambushed.

A witness told probers that a white Innova blocked the path of Velasco’s vehicle before the gunmen fired at the prosecutor several times.

The NBI said Velasco’s killing could be work-related.  

The DOJ set the next hearing on March 25 for the filing of a rejoinder by the respondents.

The complaint was filed by the NBI before the Quezon City prosecutor’s office in September last year, but it was transferred to the DOJ upon the request of the respondents.