(Eagle News) — The seven policemen implicated in the killing of Calbayog City Mayor Ronaldo Aquino and his companions are now under restrictive custody.
Philippine National Police Chief Guillermo Eleazar made the announcement after the National Bureau of Investigation filed complaints for murder and frustrated murder against the seven and two others months after the killing.
Aquino and his companions were on board a vehicle when they were shot at by the suspects in Barangay Lonoy in March.
The police claimed they were forced to retaliate after the mayor’s bodyguards fired at them but footage from a closed-circuit television camera installed in the area showed the suspects had been tailing the mayor’s vehicle on board another vehicle for 17 minutes before the attack.
According to Eleazar, in particular, the policemen will be under the custody of the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group and Police Regional Office 8 while the probe into their possible involvement is ongoing.
Eleazar gave the assurance the PNP would not protect the policemen who are facing criminal charges.
He noted that the PNP was also seeking justice with some of its own killed in the attack as well.
“But in the meantime, let these cases take their course in the proper forum,” Eleazar said.