2 cops indicted for ‘rub-out’ of neighbor

CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija–The Philippine National Police have filed murder charges against two of its own men tagged for the fatal shooting of their neighbor here Friday evening, allegedly peppering him with 15 gunshots even when he was already lying on the pavement in a possible case of rub-out.

           Senior Superintendent Crizaldo Nieves, PNP provincial director, said the information for murder was filed before the city prosecutor’s office here against SPO1 Edgar Cruz, 42, and PO1 Mark Levi Panlilio, both of Barangay Bangad here.

           The two were tagged for the killing of Ricarte Evangelista, 44, driver, also of the same place. The victim sustained 15 bullet wounds and died while being operated on.

           Police Superintendent Pedro Soliba, police station commander, said Cruz is assigned at the San Jose Del Monte police while Panlilio with the provincial public safety office.

          They were also rushed to the Nueva Ecija Doctor’s Hospital with hack wounds and are facing arrest once discharged.

           Police said Evangelista was shot by the two at 10:30 pm Friday.

           Prior to the incident, Evangelista’s children were being chased by the two lawmen for allegedly being drunk. The kids’ mother tried to pacify the lawmen when           Evangelista intervened, triggering a confrontation.

           Police said the duo went home and brought their guns and shot Evangelista.     

           Recovered from the encounter scene were 15 shells for caliber 45 and caliber 9mm and deformed slugs.

           Soliba said the case would have qualified as simple homicide but there were signs superior power was used in the killing of the victim.

           “There was even a report that Evangelista was already sprawled on the floor when the suspects kept on shooting him,” he said.

          He said while the two lawmen claimed they were hacked, there was no one to corroborate the hacking incidents. (Manny Galvez)