WHAT IS the latest on the following high-profile crimes in Davao City committed during the last year and two months? We are referring to the following:
- The shooting to death of a young man by non-uniformed personnel of the Philippine National Police (PNP), a medical doctor;
- The killing of a businesswoman who was doing on the side as a model allegedly on orders of an Army 1-star General who was reportedly the victim’s paramour; and
- The rape-slay of a lady architect in Calinan after she was abducted by the suspect/s.
On the first crime, the suspect-doctor was charged with murder both by the police and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) at the City Prosecutor’s Office, believing that in their appreciation of the evidence they have, they got an air-tight case. Unfortunately, the prosecutor handling the case disagreed with their views. The charge was downgraded to simple homicide allowing the suspect to post bail.
We had it on succeeding media reports that the victim’s family appealed the prosecutor’s resolution to the Department of Justice. Since then, over a year ago already, we have not heard or read any development on the reported appeal. We are hoping that the victim’s family, through their lawyer, will come up with a statement on the status of their appeal – if they ever did.
On the second crime, the special investigating task force created to focus on probing the case that happened towards the end of 2022 came up with the identity of the suspected gunman, his accomplishes, and finally, the brains behind the crime – the Army General. The last news we heard about the case was the statement of Army Chief Lt. General Romeo Brawner announcing that the Court Martial proceedings were already started and that the suspect was “billeted” in the comfort of the Army General headquarters.
But the Court Martial is only for the administrative liability of the suspect. As to the criminal aspect of the case, we had not heard of any development, such as where the case or cases against the general and his henchmen are filed. If these were filed in Davao City, has the case gone beyond the filing with the City Prosecutor’s Office, or has it already been forwarded to the proper courts?
On the third one, the latest we heard on television and radio, as well as read in the local papers, that a suspect was arrested and is now in the custody of the law enforcers, and another is already dead after having been abducted and tortured to the maximum. Still, another was seen by witnesses to have been forced into an unmarked vehicle and has not been accounted for since then. The last suspect has gone into hiding. But the police have not even identified who this suspect is. And according to the head of the Special Investigating Task Group (SITG) probing the rape-slay of the lady architect, appropriate cases were already filed with the prosecutor’s office.
Well, the victim’s family will certainly have the opportunity to see justice roll its course as far as the arrested suspect is concerned. But what about that of the dead, the missing and the escaped suspects? What will happen to the cases filed against them? Subsequently, how will their death or disappearance affect the quest for justice by the victim’s family? What about the very generous reward offer of First District Congressman Polong Duterte? Will the informant’s credibility on the participation of the dead, the abducted, and the escaped suspect pass the test?
As to the suspect in custody, will the informant – if there was any, considering that he was allegedly arrested in a drug buy-bust and not on the rape-slay – be eligible for the reward of the Congressman since the announcement of the booty was made after the arrest of the first suspect?
And granting that the circumstances allow the informant to the reward, will the money from the Congressman be given while the cases are still heard in the court? Or will the booty be handed over after the suspect/s’ conviction?
There is no doubt the people are interested in information about these three crimes that have caused a public outcry in Davao City.
