Thursday, June 05, 2008 Suspected killer of 2 in-laws yields By Karlon N. Rama Sun.Star Staff Reporter
THE retired Air Force man accused of killing his wife’s brother and father and injuring his nephew and sister-in-law surrendered to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 yesterday.
But neither retired master sergeant Nestor Bugarin nor his wife, retired technical sergeant Anecita Pontanar-Bugarin, answered questions regarding the shooting.
“Yung abogado na lang naming ang sasagot (Our lawyer will answer the questions),” the former member of the Air Force Police said during an interview yesterday. He identified their lawyer as Gabriel Cañete.
Anecita also refused to comment.
When asked to react to her mother’s lament on why she is siding with her father’ and brother’s killer, Anecita said: “Wa pa mi magka estorya (We haven’t talked yet).”
But Nestor isn’t under arrest.
The NBI did not interrogate him after agents, led by special investigator Arnel Pura, brought him to the agency’s headquarters from Barangay Bitoon, Daanbantayan at around 3 p.m. yesterday.
NBI 7 Director Medardo de Lemos said Nestor is under “protective custody upon his own request,” adding that “he can go out and have coffee if he wants.”
He said the NBI is not aware of any warrant issued against Nestor.
And since the NBI did not perform the investigation on the death of Esmeraldo and Cristito Pontanar and the injuries sustained by Maria Glen and Paolo, Esmeraldo’s wife and son, it cannot place Nestor under warrant-less arrest.
The Cebu City Police Office has yet to file it’s double murder and double frustrated murder complaint against Nestor before the Office of the Cebu City Prosecutor. While police sources say they already filed the case, the prosecutor’s office has yet to receive it.
But with Nestor now under custody, the police can ask for a turnover of custody and charge him under inquest.
Prior to Nestor’s surrender yesterday, Anecita wrote to de Lemos last June 3 and informed him of her husband’s plan to surrender.
In her letter, she said their camp only wants to make sure that Nestor will remain unharmed.
Nestor, in an interview yesterday, said he believes the NBI will treat him fairly and hinted that he could not expect the same from the police who is investigating the killing.
He said he never intended to flee. He said he only feared for his safety, hence his haste in leaving the area.
De Lemos said Nestor apparently kept in touch with Anecita after the incident. Hours before agents arrived in Daanbantayan, he communicated with Pura to relay directions.
Originally of Pangasinan, Nestor served the Armed Forces of the Philippines for 21 years.
He enlisted with the now defunct Philippine Constabulary (PC) in 1981 and made a lateral transfer to the Philippine Air Force when the PC and the Integrated National Police became the Philippine National Police.
His assignments included a stint at the Villamor Air Base in Luzon. In 1996, he was transferred to what was then the Visayas Command and, a year later, got posted to the Mactan Air Base later renamed the Benito Ebuen Air Base.
Being a master sergeant at the time of his retirement, he receives the pension of a 2nd Lieutenant.
Based on the statement of police witnesses, Nestor shot Esmeraldo last Friday after Anecita had an argument with Esmeraldo’s wife, Maria Glen, over dogs that were
making too much noise. Esmeraldo intervened during the argument.
One of the bullets hit Cristito and killed him. Esmeraldo’s son, Paolo, who was also present, also got shot. He and his mother, Maria Glen, survived.
The families have reportedly been long at odds with each other over land. (KNR)
