Monday, June 23, 2008 Cop denies killing police asse
A CONGRESSMAN’s former bodyguard has denied in court shooting a police asset, saying he did not have any reason to kill him.
PO2 Israelito Aballe, a former bodyguard of Cebu 2nd district Rep. Pablo Garcia, said he does not have any motive to kill Renato Noble, whom he knew as the police asset of his partner.
During the incident, Aballe was already assigned to Station 1 of the Mandaue City Police Office.
Aballe is accused of shooting to death Noble on May 23, 2006 in Barangay Tejero, Cebu City. Noble’s live-in partner Teresita Nasayao identified Aballe as the one who shot her boyfriend.
Aballe, however, denied the allegation.
The prosecution, however, asked him why he met up with Nasayao following Noble’s death.
“I just wanted to clarify what happened and why my name got involved,” Aballe said in Bisaya.
After the meeting, Aballe admitted that he went to the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) to clear his name but clarified that he did not surrender. When asked if the couple had an “ax to grind” against him, Aballe said that it could be because he threatened to arrest them after receiving information they were drug peddlers.
Aballe said that he was sleeping at home when Noble was shot. Aballe thinks that the shooter just resembled him.
Initial investigation by the CCPO Homicide Section indicated that Aballe and Noble were arguing during the incident. Aballe then allegedly pulled out a gun and shot Noble.
Hearing the gunshot, Nasayao went out of the house, found Noble shouting, “Gipusil ko ni Rey (Rey shot me).” Aballe’s nickname is Rey.
On the way to the hospital, Noble’s younger brother Rodillo, who worked as an errand boy at the CCPO, took a piece of cardboard and let the victim write his assailant’s
name—Rey Valle. With Noble’s blood, the cardboard was also marked twice with his right thumb. (JGA)
