Tuesday, July 29, 2008 Bogo policeman fails to name slay suspects
THE prosecution of the murder case against Joel Sumabong and Efren Beladas presented its fourth prosecution witness who was not aware about the case he was being called for.
SPO2 Eduardo Limosnero, detailed at the Bogo City Police Station, also said that he does not know who Sumabong and Beladas are.
The two are on trial for murder at Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 8 presided by Judge Macaundas Hadjirasul.
The victim was Alberto Tepait who was shot on May 28, 2005 in his house in Barangay Cayang, Bogo City.
The case was filed following Sumabong’s extra-judicial confession before the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) 7 that tagged former Bogo City mayor Celestino “Tining” Martinez III as mastermind in the P9.4 million Land Bank of the Philippines – Bogo City branch heist, and the killing of Tepait and one Joenes Burlaos.
A robbery in bank case is pending before the RTC branch 12 against Sumabong, Beladas and others while the Burlaos murder case was not elevated into the RTC.
Testimony
No charge was filed against Martinez.
Limosnero testified that he was among a team of policemen sent to the scene of the crime in the evening of May 28, 2005.
An empty shell was found at the scene. It was from a .45 caliber pistol.
Limosnero admitted though that he does not know who Sumabong and Beladas are, and has never seen them before. He was also not privy to the findings of the case since he did not investigate it.
The responding policeman also did not prepare the blotter or the worksheet-complaint.
“So, you have no personal knowledge of the incident?” asked lawyer Leilani Trinidad Villarino representing the two accused during the cross-examination.
Limosnero admitted not being aware.
Prosecutor Jose Edwin Renegado will present Limosnero’s colleague and investigator SPO4 Emmanuel Masong as the last witness for the prosecution on Aug. 28. (JGA)
