3 cops ordered to answer murder raps

Three policemen have until Tuesday (Feb. 19) to respond to murder complaints filed against them over the murder of Quezon City Deputy Prosecutor Rogelio Velasco.

Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Peter Ong, who is handling the case, directed SPO2 Rodante Sicat Laimarmo, PO3 Arthur Yasonio Lucy, and PO1 Jose Lunar Mercado to file their respective counteraffidavits.

“They are given until Feb. 19 to file their respective counter-affidavit,” Ong said.

After the filing of the counteraffidavits, Ong said the case will be submitted for resolution unless the complainant no longer intends to file a reply.

The complaint was initially filed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office on Sep. 4, 2018.

However, the lawyers of the respondents sought the transfer of the case to the Department of Justice (DOJ) due to concerns of bias.

“There was a motion to inhibit the handling prosecutor in Quezon City that’s why the Secretary of Justice has assigned the case to me,” Ong cited.

Meanwhile, the NBI is still trying to identify seven other persons involved in the killing of Velasco.

Velasco was killed on May 11, 2018 in an ambush in front of the Abu Persian Kitchen on Don Antonio St. in Barangay Holy Spirit, Quezon City.

He was rushed to the East Avenue Medical Center but was declared dead on arrival due to multiple gunshot wounds.

NBI investigators said they were able to identify the suspects with the help of witnesses as well as the footage of closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras at the Quezon City Memorial Circle which was used by the suspects as a staging area.