Saturday, January 05, 2008 CIDG still gathering evidences vs slay suspect By Ben O. Tesiorna
THE Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-Southern Mindanao is still gathering evidences that would support the positive identification of the two witnesses against the arrested suspect in the murder of veteran broadcaster Ferdinand "Batman" Lintuan on December 24.
In a telephone interview Thursday afternoon, CIDG-Southern Mindanao chief Benhur Mongao said they are intensifying their investigation on the death of Lintuan to support the accusation against 31-year-old Oliver Antoc.
Mongao admitted that without any supporting evidences, the testimony of the two witnesses positively identifying Antoc as the person who shot and killed Lintuan would be for naught.
"Ikaw ang tatanungin ko (I will ask you), do you think the testimony of the witnesses would stand in court? Sigurado ibabasura lang yun ng fiscal. Kaya doble kayod talaga kami para makakuha ng mga dagdag na ebidensya, (For sure the fiscal would just reject it. That is why we double our effort to get additional evidences)," Mongao said.
Asked if they will release Antoc once he posts bail for illegal possession of firearm and illegal drugs possession, he said they have no other choice but to comply with the law. It was learned that Antoc will be paying around P200,000 as bond for his temporary release for the two charges.
But if the CIDG however files the murder complaint before Antoc posts bail for the two other charges then the suspect will still not be released from police custody since murder is a non-bailable offense.
As of this writing Thursday, Antoc is still in the CIDG custody upon court orders.
