The National Bureau of Investigation in Region 7 on Friday summoned four officials of the Highway Patrol Group 7 to explain their involvement in the ambush-slay of lawyer Noel Archival and two of his aides in Dalaguete town in southern Cebu last month.
NBI Regional Director Max Salvador said the four were asked to appear at their office on Monday for an investigation after NBI operatives Thursday seized one of four vehicles reportedly used in the ambush-slay inside the impounding area of the HPG 7 in Sudlon, Barangay Lahug, Cebu City.
The four are HPG 7 chief Supt. Romualdo Iglesia, Senior Inspectors Eduardo Mara and Joselito Lerion and SPO4 Edwin Galan.
They were also named in the search warrant issued by Cebu City Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Soliver Peras for the four vehicles used in the ambush.
The search yielded a red Toyota Corolla Vios with license plate numbers GSC 675 which is now under the custody of the NBI for forensic investigation.
NBI investigators found inside the vehicle bags, umbrella, slippers, a commemorative PNP 111 plate, a golf bat, and documents, among others.
The documents include a furnished copy of a motion for extension filed by Jane Catherine Go and Chris Reinz through Archival before the Office of the Cebu City Prosecutor addressed to Lerion.
The HPG earlier filed a complaint for carnapping, anti-fencing law and illegal transfer of vehicle license plate numbers against the two.
Salvador said the said document is a great help in their investigation.
“That is a good twist and a nice lead,” he said.
Salvador said the seizure of the vehicle is another step to the solution of the murder of Archival and his aides Candido Miñoza and Alejandro Jayme.
Another aide, Paulo Cortez, was wounded in the attack.
Archival and his companions were on board a Ford Escape heading back to Cebu City from Dumaguete City when they were ambushed on Feb. 18 in Barangay Corro, Dalaguete town.
Archival had just come from a hearing representing Jesuslou Elcarte Alegria, the alleged mastermind of a pawnshop heist, before RTC Branch 38 in Dumaguete City.
It was also learned that Archival was the counsel of Maria Paz Yu, who filed administrative and criminal complaints before the Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for the Military and Other Law Enforcement Offices against Iglesia and 13 others for dishonesty, grave misconduct, and falsification of public documents for allegedly falsifying a plate number of the vehicle she owned. (PNA)
