THE legal counsel of the alleged primary suspect in the killing of Father Richmond Nilo said Friday, June 22, they have evidence and witnesses who can prove that his client is a “fall guy.”
Lawyer Larry Gadon said among the evidence that they will present in court are the CCTV (closed circuit television) footages which show that Adell Milan was in the town of San Isidro in Nueva Ecija when Nilo was gunned down around 6 p.m. on June 10 in a chapel in Zaragosa town.
San Isidro town is at least 29 kilometers away, about an hour's drive, from Zaragosa.
Gadon said they were considering the filing of charges against the policemen who arrested and detained Milan without charges.
The lawyer said Milan’s friends and relatives will also testify that he was with them and that it is impossible for him to shoot Nilo.
Nelson John Oreo, Milan’s childhood friend, said they were together from 4 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. of June 10 as they were working on a motorcycle and later on had a few drinks in a sari-sari store. He said there are other people who can support his statement.
However, Oreo said they do not have a photo which may corroborate with his statement as they did not took any.
Elena Matias, Milan’s 78-year old grandmother, maintained that his grandson is innocent. She said he does not own a gun and does not even know how to hold one.
She questioned the legality of his arrest, noting that Milan was taken by persons in civilian clothes.
She said she was not even informed why they were taking Milan and she only knew through the news that he was being implicated in Nilo’s killing the day after when he was presented to the media.
Milan was arrested on June 14. Police said an altar server positively identified Milan as the man who shot Nilo dead while preparing to say Mass.
Matias and Gadon said Milan looks different from the police digital cartographic sketch of the gunman.
Earlier, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Oscar Albayalde denied that Milan was a fall guy. He said the altar server repeatedly identified Milan as the person who shot Nilo.
“We can assure the public na hindi kagagawan ng PNP ‘yun na gagawing fall guy si Milan dahil ‘yung bata na nagturo sa kanya ‘yung altar server ay hawak yan ng mga pari, never yan hinawakan ng PNP at never nakausap ng PNP,” he said.
(We can assure the public that it is not the practice of the PNP to find a fall guy. The altar server identified him. The witness is in the custody of the priests. The police have not even talked to him yet.)
“Three times na hinarap sa kanya ‘yung tao na ‘yun at pinakita...tinanong pa s’ya nung pari na sigurado ba s’ya dahil konsensya n’ya yan and he said yes sigurado siya na ‘yun ang bumaril kay Father Nilo,” he added.
(The altar server was asked three times. He said he was certain that it was Milan who shot Father Nilo.) (SunStar Philippines)