THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has filed murder charges against six police officers in connection with a fatal shooting incident in Quirino province last May.
NBI Director Jaime Santiago said those charged by the agency’s district office in Bayombong, Nueva Viscaya were PMaj. Fernando Manayod and his men – Jorey Cumaling, Jimboy Irang, Delmar Salvador, Allan Fiad-Ong, and Jonathan Limmong, who are all assigned at the Nagtipunan municipal police station in Quirino.
Santiago said the police officers were charged
before the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor of Quirino on August 5 for the death of Jim White on May 28 in San Pugo Nagtipunan town.
The NBI said their investigation showed that White was allegedly killed by the accused in a remote uphill trail in San Pugo a day before he was supposedly set to surrender to authorities in connection with his pending criminal cases.
Records showed that White, who is a member of the Bugkalot-llongot tribe, had previously reached a tribal-mediated amicable settlement in relation to his criminal cases. He was scheduled for voluntary surrender on May 29.
The NBI said that the police provincial director of Quirino was aware of the tribal arrangement.
“NBI medico legal findings showed that all bullet entry wounds were on White’s back, indicating that he was shot while defenseless. This finding contradicts the officers’ claim that the victim fired first,” it said.
The NBI said it also conducted an on-site investigation in the far-flung mountainous area where the crime occurred and concluded that the killing was “executed with treachery.”
This prompted the filing of charges against the said police officers.
