Wednesday, April 30, 2008 News shock kin of slain suspect; Tomas offers house, lot to cop
THE family of Nelson Icoy Gutierrez Jr. has declined to have his body undergo an autopsy.
Gutierrez’s uncle Lucio Icoy told reporters at the Cebu Rolling Hills Memorial Homes that all the family wants is to make burial arrangements.
Icoy, though, admitted that they were shocked to learn that Gutierrez was involved in the bank robbery.
He said his nephew was never involved in any trouble in their neighborhood of Bangkal, Lapu-Lapu City and had no vices.
However, Icoy said their family has accepted what has happened and only want to keep their privacy.
Senior Insp. Benjamin Lara, medico-legal officer, told reporters that he already explained to the family the legal implications about not having an autopsy conducted on Gutierrez, but his family insisted, saying they don’t plan to pursue any legal action against the police.
Senior Supt. Carmelo Valmoria, Cebu Provincial Police Office director, said they had to respect the family’s decision and added that they were only following the investigation procedure.
Aside from the autopsy, a paraffin test was taken Monday night.
But even after they turn over Gutierrez’s body to his relatives, Valmoria said their investigation does not stop there.
He said they are coordinating with the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office as well as “other agencies and police offices” to build up the case.
He said they are looking into other possible companions of the Gutierrez and Ricoly Igoy, as the two appeared to be experienced in pulling off the heist.
He added that they will study other robberies in Cebu and compare the cartographic sketches of the persons involved in these heists.
Police prepared cases against Igoy for the robbery, the attack on responding police officers and the hostage-taking, and filed it before the Carcar City Prosecutor’s Office yesterday afternoon.
As for man whose name was on the registration of the green Mitsubishi Lancer used as a getaway vehicle, he appeared before Lapu-Lapu City Police Office Thursday night.
The vehicle was discovered after the key lock was found in one of Gutierrez’ pockets.
Police said they scoured Carcar City for the car only to find out that the car was parked at the Gaisano Carcar parking lot.
The name of Edward Gonzaga was on the registration of the vehicle. But he told police that he sold the car last Feb. 5 yet.
Valmoria, however, said they still have to determine Gonzaga’s claim.
Gutierrez and Igoy were dismissed from Fredzon Furniture and Appliance Center in January 2006 for dishonesty.
They allegedly forged the signature of an employee so they could claim commission incentives amounting to P26,778.
Igoy was a cashier while Gutierrez was assistant manager.
Also yesterday, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said he is willing to endorse SPO1 Meliton Agadier for promotion and recommend him to serve with his counterparts in the city.
“I would like to congratulate the Carcar policeman. He did it again. We should promote him and bring him to Cebu City,” the mayor said in a news conference.
He recalled giving Agadier P20,000 cash reward in 2006 after he ran after two men who robbed passengers of a Colon Street-bound jeepney along M.J. Cuenco Ave., Barangay Tinago while off-duty.
After that, Osmeña told Agadier that if he wanted to transfer to Cebu City, he will recommend it “very highly” and will push for his promotion because he, even when off-
duty, went out of his way to catch suspects and helped the victims in the robbery.
“He is welcome here in Cebu City. I cannot promote him. It’s the PNP that can. I can only endorse him and give him a house somewhere in Barangay Duljo or Ermita. We have a housing plan somewhere there. I am not trying to be funny. A policeman is effective off-duty; we’ll put him in a place where he can be off-duty all the time in that troubled area and take care of the criminalities there,” he said yesterday.
He said Agadier may see him so they can talk of the arrangements on a housing plan for the policeman, which the City Government can subsidize.
“Just come here. I don’t think my constituents will complain. I’ll justify that,” the mayor added.
Agadier said he is happy to be congratulated by Osmeña but declined to comment or decide on the mayor’s offer.
“I am happy with the support he is giving. His act of congratulating me is a sign of support. I am very thankful for that,” Agadier told Sun.Star Cebu.
He would not say what he planned to do next, only that Carcar City needs more personnel that they had to request augmentation from the Special Reaction Unit and Regional Mobile Group. (MEA/NRC)
