Authorities claim they have an airtight case against the gunman arrested in the killing of Fr. Richmond Nilo in Zaragoza, Nueva Ecija last June 10, the Philippine National Police said Monday.
PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde also doused speculation the suspect, Adell Roll Milan, was a fall guy and explained that the witness, who identified the primary suspect, had been under the protection of priests and had no contact with the police before he named the suspect.
“The Nueva Ecija provincial office has established an airtight case against Milan and other suspects,” the PNP chief said.
In a related development:
• The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines was scheduled to meet Monday with the priests from Laguna who allegedly have armed themselves, according to a television report on News To Go beamed nationwide.
This followed a report from some of Metro Manila’s broadsheets that some priests were secretly arming themselves for protection after the killings of three clergymen over the past six months.
“It is not made up, the altar boy was under the priests and was never identified with the police,” Albayalde said.
The PNP is presently conducting follow up operations against four to five persons who participated in the murder.
Albayalde added they were still eyeing the three original possible motives in the killing, particularly on the possibility that it stemmed from the help given by the victim to abused minors, his involvement in settling a land dispute and the victim’s possible criticism of other religious groups.
Albayalde also reiterated that the PNP welcomed any report from the religious leaders in connection with threats to their safety, and said they supported plans for clergymen to apply for the right to bear arms—so long as they could comply with all regulatory requirements for license to own firearms and permits to carry firearms outside their homes.
Under police rules, however, gun owners are not allowed to bring their firearms in public places such as churches. PNA