FATAL STOPOVER.
A HIGH-ranking official of the Police Regional Office asked one of the five brothers who allegedly killed the chief of the Catmon Police Station— one of only two who are still alive—to surrender.
“Pakita na lang para mapaminaw ang iyang side (He needs to surrender so his side of the story can be heard),” said Senior Supt. Rey Lyndon Lawas, deputy director for operations, referring to Jaime Jayson.
Jayson’s brother Carlo was brought to the Regional Trial Court’s Branch 25 in Danao City yesterday, where Cebu Assistant Provincial Prosecutor Raymund Aller filed a murder case against him. Carlo chose to answer the charge against him in court, following the inquest proceedings in the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office yesterday afternoon.
Carlo and Jayme, who remained at large three days after the shooting, “mutually helped one another with intent to kill Senior Inspector Alexander Nuñez, 38, in Barangay Puente, Carmen, the prosecutor said.
Carlo will not have the chance to post bail, for now.
Three of the five Jayson brothers died last Christmas Eve, after a drinking spree that turned violent. Nuñez, police chief of Catmon, was driving home when he saw the commotion the Jaysons had allegedly caused.
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Carlito allegedly fired at Nuñez when the latter confronted him. Nuñez shot Carlito, reportedly in self-defense, but the four other brothers pounced on him after he picked up and tried to put away Carlito’s gun.
Two of the brothers, Ricardo and Camilo, were shot and killed later that day while in police cus- tody. They allegedly tried to grab some officers’ guns.
In an interview, Police Regional Office (PRO) Central Visayas Director Noli Taliño has said the operatives should defend themselves and shoot back if Jayme Jayson resists arrest.
For his part, Lawas said yesterday that the police will look into the alleged human rights violation by personnel of the Carmen Police Station, after they allegedly failed to help bring one of the wounded suspects to a hospital.
Policemen from the same station escorted Carlo to the prosecutor’s office yesterday afternoon for the inquest proceedings.
They attached to the complaint the affidavits of the responding officers, Nuñez’s widow PO3 Queen Brigitte Viernes, and that of an eyewitness.
Witness Mateo Bejoc Barro Jr. said that the brothers Ricardo, Camilo, Carlo, Jaime and Carlito Jayson had a bad reputation in their barangay, especially when they got drunk. With a child Ricardo, Jayme and Camilo had been charged in court for their involvement in a murder in 2010.
Barro said he was inside his house when he heard successive gunshots around 4 p.m. last Dec. 24.
Minutes later, Barro said, Carlito passed by along with his daughter, while holding a revolver.
He asked Carlito what the commotion was about, and the latter responded that he had fired a warning shot after a younger sibling hit him in the head.
Shortly after that, Barro recalled, Senior Inspector Nuñez arrived and confronted Carlito for bringing a gun.
Carlito then put his daughter beside the national highway, drawn the firearm from his waistband and fired at the police official, but missed.
Nuñez, according to the witness, retaliated and shot Carlio thrice, hitting him in various parts of his body.
Carlito’s other brothers approached Nuñez and asked him what he did to their brother.
Nuñez, who was unaware the suspects were all brothers, reportedly replied, “Wala mo’y labot (This has nothing to do with you).”
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When Nuñez picked up Carlito’s firearm and tried to put it inside his vehicle, Ricardo allegedly attacked the police official.
Ricardo’s other siblings Jayme, Camilo and Carlo then ganged up on Nuñez. Ricardo grabbed Nuñez’s service firearm, a Glock 17, and used it to shoot the police officer four times, twice in the back of his head, at close range.
In a separate interview, Cebu Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale confirmed she has visited the Nuñez family and assured them of the Province’s help. “I was there first thing in the morning yesterday to assure the family that we will take care (of them). Maximum security nga ikahatag sa province,” Magpale said.
She said Nuñez’s bravery was commendable.
“Damned if you do, damned if you don’t. Kay if wala siya ninaog, ingnun lang gihapon to siya nga tu-ay chief of police, o (If he hadn’t stopped to try to solve the commotion, he would have been taunted for failing to act like a chief of police),” Magpale said.
The Province’s assistance for his family is being prepared by the Provincial Social Welfare Development Office, the vice governor added.