7 Bulacan cops charged in 2020 kidnap-slay case

MANILA – Seven Bulacan policemen have been charged in the abduction and murder of six individuals after a series of fake buy-bust operations in February last year, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Tuesday.

In a statement released by the office of spokesperson and Undersecretary Emmeline Villar, murder and arbitrary detention cases have been filed against Staff Sergeants Benjie Enconado and Irwin Joy Yuson, Cpl. Marlon Martus, Edmund Catubay Jr., Harvy Albino and Herbert Hernandez, and Pat. Rusco Virnar Madla of the City of San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan Intelligence Section/City Drug Enforcement Unit (IS/CDEU) before the Malolos Regional Trial Court on Aug. 25.

“The DOJ is awaiting the court’s issuance of warrants of arrest against said police officers,” the DOJ statement read.

The seven cops have been ordered relieved and are under restrictive custody for one year now.

They were charged for the detention and killing of Chamberlain Domingo, Chadwin Santos, Edmar Aspirin, Richard Salgado, Erwin Mergal, and Jim Joshua Cordero.

The DOJ panel of prosecutors composed of Rodan Parrocha, Wendell Bendoval, and Arturo Roxas recommended the filing of charges in November 2020.

The cases stemmed from fabricated buy-bust operations that were said to have taken place between Feb. 14 and 18, 2020.

Witnesses said the unsuspecting victims were taken because they happened to pass by the area where a buy-bust operation was ongoing.

“The reality, based on evidence submitted by the National Bureau of Investigation-Death Investigation Division, was that the victims were unlawfully and forcibly taken on 13 Feb. 2020 at Towerville, Barangay Sto. Cristo, San Jose Del Monte City, Bulacan,” the report indicated.

The person tasked to watch over the victims while detained inside the intel room of the IS/CDEU showed photographs of the victims all blindfolded and hand-tied.

The case against seven other respondents were dismissed due to insufficient evidence. (PNA)

Agencies