MANILA (Updated) -- Criminal complaints for double murder, torture and planting of evidence were filed against Caloocan City police officers linked in the killing of Carl Angelo Arnaiz and Reynaldo De Guzman last August.
Named respondents were Police Officer (PO) 1 Jeffrey Perez and PO1 Ricky Arquilita, and taxi driver Tomas Bagcal.
The two policemen had claimed that they accosted Arnaiz for allegedly robbing Bagcal but the teenager fought back, leading to a firefight and the eventual killing of the teenager.
The parents of Arnaiz and De Guzman, who acted as complainants, have subscribed to their complaint-affidavits before Assistant State Prosecutor Maria Emilia Victorio.
In the complaint-affidavit, Eddie and Lina Gabriel, parents of De Guzman, said they believed the Caloocan police officers killed their son to stop him from testifying on the killing of Arnaiz.
"Maaring may nalaman ang aming anak sa pagkamatay ni Carl Angelo Arnaiz kaya't siya ay pinatahimik din..." the complaint affidavit read.
(Our son may have known something about the killing of Carl Angelo Arnaiz so he is also silenced)
The couple said that the finding of their son's cadaver in Gapan, Nueva Ecija is one clear indication that the policemen involved in the killing wanted to confuse the investigation.
Arnaiz, 19, was last seen with Reynaldo, 14, in Cainta, Rizal before they went missing on August 18.
The 19-year-old's remains were found 10 days after the incident, while the body believed to be that of Reynaldo was found floating in a creek in Gapan, Nueva Ecija last September 5.
Arnaiz sustained five gunshot wounds while Reynaldo had 30 stab wounds.
The police, however, said the DNA sample from the body did not match with the samples taken from De Guzman's parents.
"Nais naming bigyang diin na ang bangkay ng binatilyo na natagpuan sa Gapan, Nueva Ecija ay ang aming anak na si Kulot," said the two.
(We want to emphasize that the cadaver of a teenager that was found in Gapan, Nueva Ecija is our child Kulot [the nickname of De Guzman])
The DOJ has yet to designate a panel of prosecutors that will handle the said complaints. (SunStar Philippines)