Two policemen are facing possible prosecution if evidence showed they were involved in the murder of La Union Vice Mayor Alfred Concepcion in November 2018.
This emerged after the Department of Justice started conducting preliminary investigation into the complaint filed by the National Bureau of Investigation-Ilocos Office accusing Senior Police Officer 1 Dario Cahigas and Senior Police Officer 2 Arnold Calzado, both La Union police officers, for two counts of murder and multiple counts of attempted murder over the Nov. 14, 2018 ambush of Concepcion and his daughter, town Mayor Aleli Concepcion.
The vice mayor’s aide, Mike Ulep, was killed in the ambush.
Aleli, along with several other companions, all of whom were on their way to the municipal hall, sustained gunshot wounds.
In its complaint filed last July before the DoJ, the NBI said they had gathered evidence establishing that the two policemen and two other unnamed persons were involved in the killings.
The DoJ started its preliminary investigation into the NBI complaint against the two policemen on Monday.
According to the NBI, its investigation showed that among the evidence they gathered was a ball cap and mask, CCTV footage, DNA examination results, and witness affidavits. Authorities also recovered more than 200 cartridge cases from the crime scene.
The town mayor, Aleli, recalled that their convoy had just come parallel to the Balaoan Central School, just around 150 meters away from a local police station, when it was peppered with bullets for about two minutes.
“I register my disgust and revulsion over the involvement of police officers in the murder of my father. This is the highest of all treason,” she told reporters. Aleli was re-elected for a second term last May.
According to her, there was a standing P10-million reward for persons who could provide information pointing to the other perpetrators and the masterminds of the crime.
She also urged the other suspects to surrender so that they could be “protected from the very same people who gave you the orders to kill.”
“And because you can potentially identify the plotters, the leaders and the masterminds of this conspiracy, you are now a liability and a threat to them,” she warned.
Aleli also appealed to President Rodrigo Duterte to “intervene” in the case, expressing confidence that the chief executive would hold all those responsible for the crime accountable.
The DoJ will resume hearings on the NBI’s complaint on Sept. 16, when the two policemen are expected to file their counter-affidavits.