Case vs Bansalan ambush suspects being finalized

From the Sun Star-Davao (Mar 31): Case vs Bansalan ambush suspects being finalized

THE case to be filed against the persons behind the ambush of four policemen in Bansalan, Davao del Sur, on March 8 is still being finalized by the Philippine National Police (PNP).

 

Earlier, Police Regional Office (PRO)-Davao Chief Manuel Gaerlan said that they target to file multiple murder and frustrated murder cases against members of the New People's Army (NPA) last March 24.

 

However, during the awarding of the employees' compensation and other benefits to the family of the slain police officers at Seda Abreeza Hotel last March 28, Gaerlan said they are still finalizing the investigation they can file the case.

 

"We have yet to finalize. There are still some lacking documents. We are not rushing. We want this to be slow but sure so we can include all personalities involved. We know that these suspects are allegedly New People’s Army (NPA) [members] so we have to really identify the names and not just the aliases. That is one of the challenges my investigators are facing. But basing on eye witness account, we already have face comparisons and some of the names of the commanders and the leaders," he said.

 

Gaerlan also said they are looking into 40 to 50 suspects who positioned for the ambush attack.

 

Asked if NPA spokesperson Rigoberto Sanchez is among those they will sue, Gaerlan said it is possible, and that they are still checking evidences.

 

 "If the evidences say he is part of the cover-up, since he said the policemen fought back, we can include him based on these pronouncements. The least we can file against him is being an accessory to the crime. There could be a conspiracy to cover up the murder. He said they were caught in a gunfire but based on the evidence we recovered there were no shells coming from our firearms and in the car," he said.

 

Last March 28, at the Seda Abreeza Hotel, the families of slain policemen PO1 Rolly Benelayo, PO1 Joe Narvaza, PO1 Saro Mangotara, and PO3 Jayden May Rabor received P20,000 worth of funeral benefits together with a Negocard-Starter Kits livelihood certificates with an amount not exceeding P25,000 from the Employee's Compensation Commission (ECC) and the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) Davao, respectively.

 

Dole Davao Assistant Director Naomilyn Abellana said the Negocard-Starter Kits are for the family to have the freedom to choose the kind of livelihood they want to use the money for. If for instance, they opt to start a sewing business, the amount can be used to buy a sewing machine and so on.

 

Aside from funeral benefit and the livelihood, the families are also entitled to receive monthly survivorship pension from the ECC.

 

If the recipients of the pension is the victim's parents, the pension will be given monthly for five years.

 

However, a lifetime pension will be given monthly to the widow or the widower until he or she decides to remarry.

 

For the minor children left by deceased victims, 10 percent of the monthly pension of the deceased person will be given to them until they turn 18 but will still be handled by their guardian.

 

Gaerlan said college scholarships will also be given to the minor children by the National Police Commission (Napolcom) by the time these children reached college.

 

"Regarding the benefits we received from ECC, this is really a big help for us especially those left behind by my fellow officers. Thank you very much," said Senior Police Officer 1 Joffry Narvaza, the father of late PO1 Narvaza.

 http://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/local-news/2017/03/31/case-vs-bansalan-ambush-suspects-being-finalized-534084