Wednesday, March 12, 2008 Nalzaro: Crime does not pay By Bobby Nalzaro Saksi
THE police consider a crime solved if the suspects are identified or arrested and charges are filed. More so if the suspects admit committing the crime during investigation. Investigators tend to relax and no longer gather evidences that can help prosecutors in court.
The usual practice is that the police will just leave everything to the prosecutors once the case has reached the court. Bahala na ang fiscal ana, is the usual line. But that should not be the case. They should continue to investigate and look for evidences and witnesses to have an air-tight case.
The Cebu City Police Office has considered closed the case of Ruby Jade Ruba following the arrest of the three suspects: Aivan Barabat, Mark Anthony Gabriel and Karl Max Carticiano. Barabat and Gabriel admitted committing the crime. Carticiano denied any participation in it.
The three are members of the notorious Crips gang. Barabat and Gabriel admitted they robbed and killed Ruba just for fun after a drinking spree. As simple as that? But it's good that they are in police custody and given due process despite the magnitude of the crime they committed.
The police should not give weight to the suspects’ admission. Even if they did not coerce Barabat and Gabriel to own up the crime, we cannot read their minds. What if they change their statements in their counter-affidavits or during arraignment?
There have been instances when a suspect admits committing a crime during the investigation stage but when a case is filed in court no longer admits it and gets acquitted.
Remember the Visconde case in the early ‘90s? Three sets of suspects were charged. The first set involved members of the Akyat Bahay Gang. Some of the accused even owned up the crime but later recanted claiming they were tortured by the police. Eventually, they were acquitted.
The second set of suspects involved construction workers including an engineer who worked in a newly constructed house near the Visconde home. They were also acquitted. The third set involved scions of rich families in Parañaque including Hubert Webb, son of former senator Freddie Webb. They were convicted because of the testimony of witness Jessica Alfaro.
The family and public are seeking justice for Ruby Jade. Some are even crying for blood. But since the suspects are in police custody, we must follow the rule of law. Indeed, crime does not pay.
