Balamban shooting NBI files two charges vs cop, BIN member

CEBU, Philippines - The National Bureau of Investigation –7 has filed charges against the chief of the intelligence branch of the Balamban Police and a member of the town’s Barangay Intelligence Network (BIN) in relation to a raid in February that killed two men.

Facing multiple murder charges and multiple frustrated murder charges are PO3 Jose Baldicasa, Jr. and Dennis Mancia.

The NBI said the suspects used a KG-9 machine gun in killing Rey Cleazar Toong, 22 and Ernel Bucag, 21. Wounded during the incident were Rhembran Estan, Clint Estan, and Maynard Leonor.

Investigation revealed that the Balamban police raided a place in Barangay Nangka around 9:45 p.m. on February 7, 2014 where the “boletce” card game was being played. During the operation, unidentified persons reportedly stoned the police’s patrol car, which damaged the vehicle.

Less than two hours later, the alleged killing happened.  In its investigation report, the NBI said the respondents arrived in Barangay Nangka on board a blue Honda XRM motorcycle around 11 p.m.

“The passenger of the motorcycle disembarked and approached Rey Cleazar Toong, Ernel Bucag and Rhembran Estan, who were seated in a “payag” (shanty) near the place where the “boletce” was earlier raided,” the report reads.

The suspect that carried the machine gun was reportedly the one who approached the victims. He was described as 5’6 tall and wore a bonnet to conceal his face. He also wore a black jacket and brown cargo shorts.

He reportedly asked for the victims’ names and later asked them to identify the persons who stoned the police patrol car.

 Rhembran who survived the shooting said that before they could even answer, the suspect fired at them. Rhembran’s father, Raul Estan, corroborated the statement of his son. He said his son and his friends Bucag and Rey Cleazar were shot by the passenger of the motorcycle.

Clint and Leonor said they were playing computer games at the house of one Ernesto Estan in Barangay Nangka when they heard gunshots after the Balamban police conducted raid. Both of them were hit by bullets.

 Alvin, the father of Rey Clezar, said he was in Barangay Nangka around 9:30 p.m. on February 7 where his son and the latter’s friends were playing “boletce” when PO2 Landy Divinagracia and PO2 Marvin Hubahib arrived on board the police car and stopped the game. He later heard about the patrol car being stoned.

He also reportedly saw the passenger of the motorcycled fire his submachine gun at the “teenagers.”

 Alfono Buot Jr., a councilman of Baliwagan and president of BIN in Balamban, said that around 10:30 p.m., Baldicasa called him and informed him about the stoning incident. Baldicasa reportedly took charge of all BIN members in Balamban.

 He said he went out from his house and proceeded to the waiting shed to wait for other barangay tanods to implement the curfew for minors when two motorcycles passed by him heading towards Barangay Nangka.

One was a blue Honda XRM motorcycle allegedly driven by Mancia, a member of the BIN, while his passenger was Baldicasa who was wearing a black jacket and brown colored shorts. A submachine gun was reportedly slung on his right shoulder.

The other motorcycle, Buot said, was a black Fury driven by Eliseo Barangan with his passenger Boby Camson, both BIN members.

 Gecela Pilones, a resident of Baliwagan, said she is a neighbor of Mancia and the BIN member reportedly owns the Honda XRM motorcycle with plate no. GJ5764.

Denial

 Baldicasa believes the charges against him have something to do with his seriousness in pursuing those involved in illegal activities in the area. He said many of those who are engaged in illegal drugs and illegal gambling have an axe to grind against him.

 â€œKusog ko sa dakop sa illegal sa amua posibleng giinitan ko unya giapil ko aning kaso-kaso,” he told The FREEMAN in a phone interview.

Baldicasa said he was off duty when the shooting at the Barangay Nangka happened last February 7.

 â€œSaksi ang Ginoo wala na nako buhata pero andam nako nang tubagon,” he said.

 NBI’s investigation stemmed from the request of Balamban Mayor Ace Stephan Binghay.  —  (FREEMAN)