THE Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP)-Negros Occidental chapter has passed a resolution Friday, September 7, requesting the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)–Bacolod to conduct a parallel investigation on the death of defense lawyer Rafael Atotubo.
Atotubo was shot to death by two unidentified motorcycle-riding assailants outside of his house at Barangay 20 on August 23.
Six members of the group, including its president Arnel Lapore, convened yesterday at the Sugarland Hotel in Bacolod City.
Lapore said there is still no development on the investigation from the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO).
“We’ve already been waiting for two weeks now, and nothing has happened,” he added.
Lapore said they will send a copy of the resolution to the NBI-Bacolod office on Monday but they will not give a timeline to the bureau to solve the murder case.
“We will just leave it to them,” Lapore said.
BCPO has welcomed any help from other law enforcement agencies and units that will also investigate Atotubo’s death.
Also, Lapore said he is requesting Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao, director of Police Regional Office-Western Visayas, to intervene and assist Senior Superintendent Francisco Ebreo, acting BCPO director, for an immediate solution and thorough investigation.
Bulalacao, in a previous media interview, already assured the family of Atotubo they will leave no stone unturned to give justice to the victim.
Meanwhile, Lapore also encouraged Atotubo’s family to cooperate with the police regarding the investigation.
Superintendent Levy Pangue, head of the Investigation and Detection Unit, told the media last Thursday that they failed to meet with the family three times because they're being uncooperative.
Earlier, the family also told the police that they will turn over the copy of the CCTV footage at the victim’s house and his cellular phone to Police Station 4 but as of press time, the victim’s family still failed to provide them with the said materials that can be used as evidence in the crime.
“We do not know the take of the family but they also have their reasons and we respect that,” Lapore said.
As of Friday, the Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) created to focus on Atotubo’s murder case is 40 percent complete in their investigation.
Twenty drug cases from Regional Trial Court Branch 47 which were handled by Atotubo since 2004 were already gathered by the police as part of the investigation.
As this developed, Lapore said nobody from the group has requested for security following Atotubo’s death.
Lapore earlier said that two lawyers in the city are facing threats but he said that everyone has been doing some precautionary measures for their protection.
“We just keep on guessing but I hope it’s not true,” he said.
Lapore said there are always hazards on their job.