Sunday, July 01, 2007 ‘Kirhat’ yields in Ajuy By Erwin Ambo S. Delilan
PUBLIC could expect another “twist” or “breakthrough” in the four-year-old Salabas-Lomuljo-Suganob kidnap-slay case.
One of the 21 named suspects, July Flores alias Kirhat de la Rosa, reportedly surrendered to police authorities in Ajuy, Iloilo.
Kirhat is the second suspect who is now under police custody. The first was Lorraine “Lulu” Abay who was nabbed somewhere in Dipolog City months ago and is now at Guihulngan jail in Oriental Negros.
The rest, including the ten policemen formerly assigned at the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) remain at-large.
In an interview over ABS-CBN Bacolod Wednesday, Ajuy Police Chief Rubenie Grandeza said Kirhat had voluntarily surrendered to their station for fear that he might be killed by those who are after his head.
Kirhat, however, denied involvement in the controversial Salabas-Lomuljo-Suganob kidnap-murder case in August 2003.
But based on allegation, Kirhat was the one who drove the pumpboat that transported former Barangay Pahanocoy chieftain Eleuterio “Dodong” Salabas from Cadiz Viejo in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental to Ajuy, Iloilo where the latter was killed and buried in a shallow pit.
Kirhat was also alleged as the one who saw how Police Chief Inspector Clarence Dongail shot Salabas while they were in Ajuy.
But he denied all these allegations, said Grandeza. The prosecution in the case, however, said Kirhat is potential to be used as state witness later.
Earlier, Kirhat surrendered to one of the assets of Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Western Visayas.
However, a certain Police Officer 2 Vicente Baylon of Concepion Police Office also in Iloilo Province, who used to be his employer and distant relative, allegedly maneuvered his escape against the CIDG men.
Kirhat reportedly stayed at the house of Baylon as househelper in Barangay Cabacawan, Concepion in Iloilo.
Baylon is now being investigated by Police Regional Office in Iloilo City for his alleged involvement on the alleged escape of Kirhat from the CIDG.
But Grandeza said Kirhat denied reports that Baylon helped him to escape from the CIDG people.
Kirhat, based on his statement-affidavit dated January 15, 2004, has claimed that he never transported Salabas and the two police officers - Chief Inspectors
Dongail and Jimmy Fortaleza to Ajuy.
He also clarified that he and his co-pumpboat operator identified as Carlo De los Santos, instead transported four relatives of Barangay 2 Councilor Elson Cañete from Lakawon, Cadiz Viejo to Ajuy, Iloilo.
Flores added that the wife of Salabas, Elizabeth Orola-Salabas, his father and an agent of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) had begged for him to become one of their witnesses against the police officers, but he refused.
“I was even threatened by lawyer Janus Jarder, counsel for prosecution in the Orola-Salabas case that if I am not going to cooperate and testify in their favor, I will be included as one of the John Does in the killing of Eleuterio Salabas,” stressed Flores in his statement-affidavit.
Mrs. Salabas, meanwhile, hailed the police in Ajuy for the yielding of Kirhat.
Mrs. Salabas believes that, at least, the case of her husband and two others, Romulo Lomuljo and Maritime Instructor Ricardo Suganob is nearing to justice.
“It good that, at least, the police in Ajuy facilitated the surrender of Kirhat so that the image of the police will also be redeemed,” she added.
Mrs. Salabas also renewed her call to other suspects especially the policemen to follow suit like what Kirhat did so to face the court investigation.
“If they’re not guilty, then, so be it. But why they keep on hiding?” she said.
CIDG 6 Regional Director Renato Gumban, on the other hand, said he will look into the possibility of interrogating Kirhat so to know the real score behind the case and his alleged involvement.
Meanwhille, among the 10 policeman-suspects in the case include Chief Inspectors Dongail, Bonifer Gotas Jonathan Lorilla and Jimmy Fortaleza.
Others are SPOI Nelson Grijaldo and Freddie Natividad; PO2s Dennie Belandres, Ruel Villacanas and Allen Winston Hulleza and PO1 Bernardo Cimatu.
While the civilian-suspects include Manolo Escalante, Ronnie Herrera, Carlos de los Santos, Lorraine “Lulu” Abay, Elma and Elson Cañete, Jude Montilla and
Ramonito Estanislao.
All have pending warrants of arrest issued by Judge Mario Trinidad of the Guihulngan Regional Trial Court Branch 68 in October last year.
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