Retired police officer accused of killing businessman yields

KIDAPAWAN CITY - After seven years in hiding, murder suspect Senior Police Officer 2 (SPO2) Ignacio Rinsulat of the Kidapawan City Police surrendered to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Agency (CIDG) in North Cotabato around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Rinsulat and six others, including two police officers, were accused of killing in March 9, 2006 a Filipino-Chinese trader identified as Roger Ong, owner of Master Marketing, one of the largest construction supply stores in North Cotabato.

Two of the accused-turned-witnesses named Rinsulat and two other police officers as behind the killing, reports said.

The other two police officers accused in the killing were identified as SPO1 Rene Mamburam and PO3 Edwin Pacana, both from the Kidapawan City PNP. They were arrested in 2007.

Rinsulat said it was his ‘conscience’ that told him to surrender to authorities to clear his name from the murder case.

It, however, took him seven years before he came to a decision, though he said the process he went through "was painful."

He said it was difficult for him to surrender to a crime he did not commit.

The warrant for the arrest of Rinsulat and six other murder suspects were issued in December 11, 2006 by Judge Rogelio Naresma of the Regional Trial Court branch 23.

Based on the court order, there is no bail bond recommended for any of the accused.

However, three years after SPO1 Mamburam and PO3 Pacana were arrested they were able to post bail and were released later from the custody of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), according to reports from the CIDG.

Rinsulat, according to CIDG North Cotabato chief Rodel Calo, would be turned over to the court for his commitment at the BJMP on Thursday. (Malu Cadelina Manar)