The Office of the Ombudsman sacked two former Highway Patrol Group (HPG) 7 officers in relation to the ambush-slay of lawyer Noel Archival and his two employees in 2014.

Maria Zipagan, graft investigation and prosecution officer, dismissed from the service Supt. Romualdo Iglesia, former HPG 7 director; and Senior Insp. Joselito Lerion, then HPG 7 Special Operations Team head, for grave misconduct.

The ombudsman found “substantial evidence” to hold Iglesia and Lerion administratively liable for driving vehicles with plate numbers belonging to other vehicles and owners and for their involvement in the ambush of Archival and his two aides.

“Their acts are not in consonance with the prescribed norms of conduct of a public officer as they have transgressed some established and definite rules of action with a clear intent to violate the law and flagrant disregard of established rule,” read Zipagan’s 16-page resolution.

The case stemmed from the complaint filed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 accusing the policemen of violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards Act and gross misconduct.

Apart from Iglesia and Lerion, also named respondents in the complaint are Senior Insp. Eduardo Mara, former HPG provincial chief; SPO4 Edwin Galan, former HPG-7 designated custodian; and police officer 1 Alex Bacani.

Inocencio de la Cerna, counsel for the policemen, said they could use the latest ombudsman ruling on the murder and frustrated murder pending in court, particularly on the dismissal of the administrative complaint.

A joint team by the NBI 7 and Special Investigation Task Group Archival had filed multiple murder and frustrated murder against the HPG-7 officers.

Archival, his aide Candido Miñoza and his driver Alejandro Jayme were ambushed in Barangay Coro, Dalaguete last Feb. 18, 2014.

The NBI 7 attached at least 46 annexes to pin down the policemen. These include the testimonies of Paulo Cortes, Archival’s companion who survived the attack, and the HPG 7 security guards, who said that two vehicles were taken out of the HPG 7 compound prior to the ambush.

Cases of multiple murder and frustrated murder were filed before Regional Trial Court Judge Maximo Perez in Argao, Cebu against Lerion, Iglesia, and Bacani. Multiple murder and frustrated murder are both non-bailable offenses.

Prosecutor Jesus Rodrigo Taga-an Taga-an, in his 37-page resolution dated Aug. 28, 2014, said the respondents “conspired” to murder Archival and his aides. Taga-an, though, dismissed the complaint against Mara and Galan.(GMD)