A DISMISSED police officer accused of leading a gun-for-hire group has surrendered to deny the allegations against him, clear his name and seek protection.
Wilson Magpali, alleged leader of a gun-for-hire group involved in assassination plots against politicians in the Ilocos region, turned himself over to the PNP Intelligence Group on Monday, July 26, 2021.
Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Guillermo Eleazar on Tuesday, July 27, 2021, said Magpali will remain a free man pending the issuance of a warrant of arrest against him.
Magpali had requested to be placed in the custody of PNP-IG while investigation against him is ongoing.
“Fearing for my life and to clear my name, honor and integrity and to clear myself from the investigation being conducted against my person, I voluntarily went to the Intelligence Group in Camp Crame, Quezon City to clear my name of the allegations of my alleged involvement,” he said in his affidavit.
“I am not the leader of the Magpali Gun for Hire Group and has no knowledge on the accusation of planned killing of politicians in La Union,” he added.
On July 22, 2021, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the police to “get the head” of Magpali group after the call of La Union Representative Sandra Eriguel.
Eriguel said the Magpali group, which is composed of rouge cops and military personnel, was behind the assassination plot against her and two municipal officials.
She said the group was involved in the political killings in the region back 2018, when her husband, former representative Franny Eriguel, was executed.
She said Balaoan Vice Mayor Alfred Concepcion and Sudipen Mayor Alexander Buquing were also murdered in the same year. (Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo / SunStar Philippines)