Two policemen relieved over Negros politician’s slay

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines (UPDATED) – Two policemen were relieved from their posts after being linked to the killing of 5th district Board Member Renato Malabor and his bodyguard Leody Jomilla.

Senior Supt. Samuel Nacion, acting director of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, said that Police Officer 1 (PO1) Robert Chloe Rito and PO1 Ariel Ansag were now assigned to the provincial headquarters after they were relieved from their post at the Isabela Municipal Police Station on Monday, August 3.

Rito, who was placed by the witnesses at the scene of the crime as the gunman, took a leave from June 22 to August 2. Nacion confirmed that Rito returned to work on Monday.

Ansag, on the other hand, was relieved after a minor witness claimed in his affidavit that the Ansag allegedly kept the wallet of Rito that was recovered from the crime scene.

Nacion said that the wallet remains missing, and they do not know where it is. Nacion also said that Rito and Ansag are now assigned at the base camp and were disarmed.

He added they were still waiting for the resolution from the Office of the Prosecutor’s Office, where the two murder complaints were filed last week.

Earlier, 3 witnesses in the murder of 5th district Negros Occidental Board Member Renato Malabor and his bodyguard Leody Jumilla said that it was a police officer who fired the shots. (READ: Board member, bodyguard shot dead in Negros Occidental) 

On July 29, charges were filed against two of 10 suspects in the murder at the Office at the Bacolod City Hall of Justice, on Wednesday, July 29.

Jacklyn Villaqer, 26, of Moises Padilla town, was arrested on July 9 for illegal possession of firearms. Felipe Juntarciego of Himamaylan City, meanwhile, was collared on July 25 for illegal drugs and gunrunning.

Villaqer allegedly revealed that he was one of the lookouts in the murder of the board member and his bodyguard.(READ: Murder raps filed in Negros politician’s slay)

Rito was allegedly seen outside a cock fighting ring in Barangay Guintubhan, Isabela, hours before the incident, the affidavit said. The witness was a participant in the cockpit.

According to the witnesses, the police officer shot Leody Jumilla in the back before shooting Malabor.

Nacion, however, won’t confirm if Rito is among the 10 suspects charged in the double murder complaint.

According to Nacion, police are still in the process of identifying the other unknown suspects. – Rappler.com