Army officer, 6 others charged for P’sinan councilor’s killing

By Jennelyn Mondejar

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group has filed murder charges against an Army lieutenant and six others for the killing of a councilor of San Quintin town in the province.
Senior Supt. Isagani Nerez, provincial police director said Supt. Jonel Estomo, CIDG-Pangasinan head, filed the case last Aug. 7 against Army Lt. Roselio Cabarliza; Charo Romero, former wife of councilor Albert Sibayan and five John Does.

Investigators, he added, are eyeing love triangle as most probable motive behind the killing of Sibayan, who was gunned down by two motorcycle-riding men last July 1 while waiting for somebody in Barangay Alac, San Quintin town.

The killings of Sibayan and two other councilors in Pangasinan earlier alarmed the Pangasinan Councilors’ League led by board member Raul Sison who called on police authorities to solve them as soon as possible. Nerez now considers the Sibayan killing already solved.

Binalonan councilor Igmedio Lariosa was gunned down last July 12, while Alcala councilor Juan Ablao was shot dead on Oct. 22 last year.

Nerez said probers had difficulty in pursuing the Ablao case as his family refused to cooperate.

He said they are now concentrating on the Lariosa case where they are confident of a good break. Meanwhile, Nerez said two policemen, not just one, are being investigated for the gunslaying last Aug. 2 of Agno Mayor Arthur Cabantac.

Both lawmen underwent paraffin and ballistic tests but yielded negative results. The first policeman, who was placed under custody, was at odds with the mayor, while the other one was only dragged into the killing, Nerez said.

“What is good is they are also willing to undergo a lie detector test,” he added.

Nerez said there are witnesses to Cabantac’s killing but unfortunately they still refuse to cooperate with investigators. This same predicament also hinders the investigation into the killing in April last year of San Carlos City Mayor Julian Resuello, who was shot dead while shaking hands with residents during the local fiesta celebration.

A suspect has been arrested but the suspected triggerman, a certain Cesar de Guzman, alias Kabesa, remains at large.

Meanwhile, the result of the ballistic test of the policeman’s firearm by trying to match empty shells recovered at the crime scene also showed negative result, he added.

“But these two are not yet conclusive that the subject policeman is already off-the-hook,” he said.

The cop’s identity was not yet released pending investigation. He is under police custody here.

He was originally assigned in Agno town but was transferred to San Quintin police station due to his differences with Cabantac. He is aligned with Cabantac’s political rivals.

Nerez said the polygraph test which the policeman expressed willingness to undergo will be done anytime next week.

Wikipedia describes polygraph (commonly referred to as lie detector) as an instrument that measures and records several physiological responses such as blood pressure, pulse rate, respiration and skin conductivity while the subject is being asked and answers a series of questions, on the basis that false answers will produce distinctive measurements.

Nerez said they have a good lead that might result in the eventual arrest of the gunman very soon.