By Perfecto T. Raymundo
MANILA, Aug. 3 (PNA) — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Monday filed before the Department of Justice (DOJ) a complaint of two counts of murder against 2 policemen who were on absent without official leave (AWOL), and another dismissed policeman for the death of a suspected leader of a kidnap-for-ransom (KFR) group and his companion in Calamba City, Laguna last June.
In the transmittal letter signed by NBI Director Virgilio L. Mendez, charged with a complaint for murder and attempted murder were former Police Insp. Marco Polo Estrera, who was dismissed from the PNP on Sept. 13, 2005; PO2 Jerome Datuinginoo and PO2 Mark De Paz.
Datuinginoo and De Paz are both on AWOL.
They were earlier in the “restrictive custody” in Camp Karingal, Quezon City, but were later on reported as “at-large” after warrants of arrest were issued against them.
The case stemmed in an incident that happened on June 24, 2015 in Calamba City wherein armed men fired gun shots on a white Audi Sedan where Rolando “Rolly” Fajardo and his companion Thomas Andaya were aboard while traveling in Barangay Bagong Kalsada.
Both Fajardo and Andaya were killed in the shooting incident while their another companion Marcilano Batan, Jr. survived the attack.
Fajardo and his younger brother Harold were implicated in November 1986 abduction of Japanese national Nobuyuki Wakaoji, then manager of Mitsui and Co.’s Manila branch.
The government has offered a reward of 1 million pesos (about ,200) each for their arrest, making them among the most wanted kidnap suspects in the country.
Fajardo was arrested by the NBI in 2010 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), however, it has not yet been determined why and when he was released from detention.
According to the NBI, the three respondents conspired with seven other individuals who are still unidentified, to execute the killing of Fajardo.
In the NBI investigation, De Paz secured a fake driver’s license using the name of Kevin Mendoza, which he allegedly used to purchase a second-hand Toyota Vios with plate no. ZRW-109 which was used in the crime.
One of the basis of the NBI in filing the complaint was the closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage taken from an establishment showing that Datinguinoo was in a convenient store in Bagong Kalsada to wait for the passing by of the vehicle of Fajardo.
Also seen from the CCTV was the arrival of the Toyota Vios with plate no. ZRW-109, as well as its maneuvering in front of the white Audi Sedan where Fajardo was onboard. (PNA)