The Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Friday it would order an investigation into murder and perjury cases filed against the Cordillera police arising from a checkpoint shooting in Abra nearly two months ago that resulted in one death.
Prosecutor General Benedicto Malcontento said the directive stemmed from a complaint filed before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) by Pilar Vice Mayor Jaja Josefina Disono and relatives of her slain supporter, Sandee Boy Bermudo.
“The respondents will be given the opportunity to respond to the charges once they have been furnished with copies of the complaint. Thereafter, the case will be resolved considering the submissions of the parties,” Malcontento said in a statement.
The NBI filed the criminal complaints before the DOJ against several persons involved in a shooting on March 29 around at a Philippine National Police (PNP) – Commission on Elections checkpoint along Berona Street in Pilar where Bermudo was killed.
PNP operatives initially claimed there was a car chase and a gun battle between the passengers of the van accompanying the vice mayor’s convoy and policemen.
An NBI investigation sought by Pilar Mayor Mark Ronald Somera, Disono, and a sister of the deceased showed that there was no visible checkpoint along the area at the time of the shooting, based on a camera footage.
Cordillera regional police director Brig. Gen Ronald Lee, Abra police acting provincial director Col. Maly Castillo Cula, and acting Pilar police chief Capt Ronald Eslabra were among the respondents.