THE City Prosecutor’s Office has forwarded the case filed against the two security escorts of Buluan Vice Mayor Esmael Mangudadatu to the Regional Trial Court.
The two accused, Police Officers 1 Ibrahim Langalen and Surab Lintukan Bantas, were charged with murder for the death of Tamano Kamendan inside the Gaisano South Citimall on February 11.
Mangudadatu was earlier dismissed on the case for lack of evidence.
In the panel of the prosecutor's resolution, the charge against Mangudadatu for alleged complicity or conspiracy in the shooting to death Kamendan had insufficient evidence.
The resolution also stated that Kamendan's wife, Natividad, did not include in her initial statement to the police the involvement of Mangudadatu in the shooting of her husband.
It was learned that Natividad's statement alleging that Mangudadatu ordered his bodyguards to shoot Kamendan came only after Natividad had a talk with lawyers Philip Pantojan and Alexis Lumbatan and a person identified only as Barpa Ustadz.
On the contrary, a witness, Rosario Casiguran Bugayong, who said she was inside the mall when the incident happened, testified that she saw the man who was killed earlier grab the hand of Mangudadatu's daughter and that the girl shouted for help, which caused a commotion.
She added that she did not notice Mangudadatu talking with anyone before that.
As to the case against the bodyguards, the prosecutors stated that there was probable cause and an abuse of superior strength since the two respondents were armed while the victim was not.
The prosecutors further said that the claim of self-defense is best defended in court. (RMH)