Charges filed vs lawmen in Atimonan rubout incident

MANILA -- Multiple murder raps were filed Monday before the Department of Justice against 25 policemen and soldiers involved in the killing of 13 people in Atimonan, Quezon last January 6.

Listed in the complaint forwarded by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and relatives of victims for preliminary investigation are former Calabarzon police head Chief Superintendent James Melad, Calabarzon police deputy intelligence head Superintendent Hansel Marantan, Senior Inspector John Paolo Carracedo, SPO1 Arturo Sarmiento, Superintendent Ramon Balauag, Senior Inspector Timoteo Orig, SPO3 Joselito De Guzman, SPO1 Carlo Cataquiz, PO3 Eduardo Oronan, PO2 Nelson Indal, PO2 Al Bhazar Jailani, PO1 Wryan Sardea, PO1 Rodel Talento, and Police Chief Inspector Grant Gollod.

Lieutenant Colonel Monico Abang (Commander, 1st Special Forces Batallion) Captain Erwin Macalinao (commanding officer), 1st Lieutenant Rico Tagure, Corporal Rogelio Tejares, Private First Class Michael Franco, Private First Class Alvin Pabon, Private First Class Ricky Jay Borja, Private First Class Melvin Lumalang, Private First Class Gil Gallego, Private Mark Docdoc, and Private Emergin Barrete are the soldiers facing the same crime.

Nine individuals, meanwhile, were charged with obstruction of justice for tampering with evidence to make it appear that there was a firefight between the group of suspected illegal gambling leader Vic Siman and authorities led by Marantan.

They are Carracedo, Tagure, Police Chief Inspector Zaide Abrera, Police Chief Inspector Dickson Mercado, SPO1 Meldy Arojo, SPO1 Analiza Burcelango, PO2 Bayani Gonzales, PO3 Nestor Abuan, and PO3 Archie Avila.

Malacañang, which adopted in full the NBI report last week, earlier assured the public of a thorough investigation which would be the basis for holding to account, those found culpable in the incident. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)