WHEN Police Chief Master Sgt. Flavio A. Enriquez Jr. joined an operation to arrest a suspected drug lord wanted for multiple murder and homicide cases in Basilan on May 4, 2013, he had no inkling that his life was about to become very complicated.
Eight years since that day, he had survived bullet wounds, overcame tests to his courage and integrity, testified on two separate cases in different courts, and helped get two lawyers exposed and convicted for corruption.
In a 41-page decision dated July 29, 2021, the Sandiganbayan pronounced former Zamboanga City deputy city prosecutor Roselyn S. Murillo-Mamon and defense lawyer Pherham Surian Saiddi guilty of violation of Section 3 (e) of RA 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act based on a complaint filed by Enriquez.
During his testimony before the Sixth Division, Enriquez said he was offered P300,000 in exchange for not implicating Phon Mohammad and Dadoh Mansul, two accused in a frustrated murder case he filed before the Zamboanga City regional trial court branch 14.
He identified prosecutor Mamon as the one who broached the subject of the hush money and set up a meeting between him and defense lawyer Saiddi on July 22, 2013.
While he pretended to be amenable, Enriquez reported the offer to his superiors and arranged an entrapment operation with the National Bureau of Investigation, leading to the arrest of Mamon and Saiddi on August 16, 2013.
While the defendants claimed the money was not a bribe but “blood money” to settle the civil aspect of the frustrated murder charge, the Sandiganbayan gave credence to the complainant’s testimony that he was asked not to implicate Saiddi’s clients — Mohammad and Mansul.
“This Court finds the testimony of complaining witness Enriquez to be very credible considering that it was clear, direct, and unequivocal,” the anti-graft court said.
The court noted that the defendants’ contention was not worthy of belief in light of the “long and arduous negotiation for the payment of money” held in secret at the office of Mamon.
