THE paraffin tests of the Navales brothers, who were accused of killing Edwin and Shaun Bacaltos in a shooting incident in Barangay Sambag 1, Cebu City, last Jan. 21, yielded negative results.
According to the separate chemistry reports released by the Crime Laboratory 7, both hands of Vincent and Vanzant Navales did not contain gunpowder nitrates.
“Qualitative examination conducted on both hand casts of specimen A gave negative result to the test for the presence of gunpowder nitrates. Both hands of Vincent Alferez Navales do not contain gunpowder nitrates,” read the findings and conclusion sections of the chemistry report done on Vincent.
“Qualitative examination conducted on both hand casts of specimen A gave negative result to the test for the presence of gunpowder nitrates. Both hands of Vanzant Navales do not contain gunpowder nitrates,” read the findings and conclusion sections of the chemistry report done on Vanzant.
The chemistry report stated that the purpose of the paraffin test was to determine the presence of gunpowder nitrates.
A paraffin test is conducted to detect gunpowder residue and determines whether a person has discharged a gun.
It should be done not more than three days after a shooting incident.
An early morning shootout between members of the Bacaltos and Navales families in Barangay Sambag 1 last Jan. 21 left three people dead, including Vanzant and Edwin and Shaun Bacaltos.
Vincent is facing charges of homicide for allegedly killing Shaun.
Serving as complainant is Alma, wife of Edwin Bacaltos and mother of Shaun.
The paraffin tests for Vincent and Vanzant were done the day after the shooting, but the chemistry report was released on Jan. 31.
The paraffin tests were requested by the chief of Police Station 2 of the Cebu City Police Office.
According to the report, separate specimens of Vincent and Vanzant that were submitted to the crime lab were examined by Senior Insp. Josephus Abregana, a forensic chemist.
Abregana attached his signature to the two chemistry reports.
The two chemistry reports were also duly noted by Supt. Benjamin Lara, the acting chief of the Crime Laboratory 7.
However, the results of the paraffin tests will have no effect on the case police filed against Vincent.
Chief Insp. Eduardo Sanchez, head of Police Station 2, said these could not be used as evidence in court as these were not conclusive.
He said there were several possibilities the hands of the Navales brothers did not contain powder burns.
The wind could have blown the gunpowder away or maybe the brothers washed their hands with vinegar after the incident.
The gunpowder remains in the hands of a shooter for 72 hours.
Sanchez admitted that he had yet to see the results of the paraffin tests. (With AYB of SuperBalita Cebu, KAL)