Suspects in Bulacan board member, driver’s slay charged

MANILA, Philippines — Criminal charges have been filed against four suspects, including a policeman, for the murder of a member of the provincial board of Bulacan and his driver in Malolos early this month.

S/Sgt. Ullyses Hernani Pascual and his cousin Cesar Gallardo Jr. as well as their companions, identified as alias Jeff and alias Lupin, were charged with two counts of murder each before the Office of the City Prosecutor in Malolos.

The charges stemmed from the ambush of board member Ramilito Capistrano and his driver, Shedrick Toribio, in Barangay Ligas on Oct. 3, according to Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan, Central Luzon police director.

Capistrano was president of the Association of Barangay Captains, which made him a member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.

A manhunt was launched for Pascual and Gallardo, who are residents of Navotas, and their accomplices. Maranan said probers have yet to determine the motive for the killing.

Capistrano, who was chief of Barangay Caingin in San Rafael town, and his two companions were in a sport utility vehicle driven by Toribio when motorcycle-riding men ambushed them.

Capistrano’s companions were not harmed in the attack.

The identification of the suspects was based on the testimony of two witnesses whom police did not name for security reasons.

Earlier, Pascual was placed under restrictive custody at the headquarters of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group at Camp Crame.

Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo, spokesperson for the Philippine National Police, said Pascual asked the custodian on duty to allow him to go home.

“He promised to return but did not,” Fajardo said.

The officer who allowed Pascual to leave has been relieved and placed under investigation.

Fajardo said probers are not ruling out the possibility that the murder was job-related.