The three former members of the Highway Patrol Group (HPG) 7 who were accused in the ambush and killing of a Cebu lawyer and his two aides last year have been dismissed from police service, a private prosecutor said.
Lawyer Rameses Villagonzalo said they received a communication that the Philippine National Police had fired Sr. Supt.Romualdo Iglesia, Sr. Insp. Joselito Lerion, and PO1 Alex Bacani, after going on absence without leave (AWOL) since last year.
Villagonzalo said the March 10 Special Orders No. 1796 signed by Police Director Jaime Hermo Morente, PNP Personnel and Records Management director, stated that Iglesia, Lerion, and Bacani were dropped from the rolls effective Jan. 26, 2015.
The three policemen were relieved of their posts with the HPG 7 after they were tagged in the death of lawyer Noel Archival, his driver Alejandro Jayme, and bodyguard Candido Miñoza.
Archival and his companions were ambushed on Feb. 18, 2014 in Barangay Corro, Dalaguete town in southern Cebu, while on their way to Cebu City from Dumaguete.
The three police officers were placed under the custody of the Personnel Holding and Accounting Section, Highway Patrol Group in Camp Crame, Quezon City.
When the National Bureau of Investigation-7 served the warrant of arrest against them on Dec. 12, however, they could no longer be found.
Supt. Elizabeth Velasquez, spokeswoman of the Philippine National Police HPG in Camp Crame, told the NBI the three suspects were no longer at the PHAS.
Villagonzalo, legal counsel of lone survivor Paolo Cortes, said the PNP dropping Iglesia, Lerion, and Bacani from the rolls makes their case “much stronger”.
“Yes, our case is much stronger because of their flight through AWOL. They are showing the whole world their guilt,” Villagonzalo said. (PNA)
