Judge’s Murder solved?
Murder charges were filed yesterday against the captured suspects who allegedly killed the late Judge Orando Velasco of the Regional Trial Court Branch 63 located in Bayawan City.
The subjects of the murder charge filed by the Inter-Agency “Task Force Velasco” at the Bayawan City Prosecutor’s Office are Gilbert Caballero, 35 years and Robert Agbogaa, 39 years, who are both natives of Culipapa, Hinobaan, Negros Occidental. The two are allegedly members of the “Ogabang Gun for Hire” and the Robbery Criminal Gang.
According to Sr/Supt Melvin Ramon Buenafe, Provincial Police Director in Negros Oriental, in his report to the Regional Director of the Regional Police Office 7, the continuous investigation of the Task Force Velasco resulted to the identification of the probable suspects because of their constant trail with the suspected gun-for-hire group that keeps post near a team from the Bayawan City Police Station under Supt Roy Abella. Supt Abella’s team conducted a checkpoint at barangay Nangka, Bayawan City last January 3 where they arrested Caballero and Abogaa for illegal possession of fire arms.
Confiscated from the two, who were on board a motorcycle during the checkpoint, were a homemade shot gun with a magazine, 4 bullets for a 12 gauge shot gun and a magazine for a .45 caliber pistol. However, the .45 caliber pistol was allegedly thrown away by the suspects after seeing the checkpoint.
Charges for infringing the Presidential Decree 1866 or the Illegal Possession of Fire Arms were filed against the suspects before the murder charges.
On the other hand, the wife of the late Judge Velasco, Bernadette Velasco positively identified the suspects as the persons responsible for the death of her husband. Other witnesses of the Velasco murder also positively identified the suspects. The witnesses who came out are Nicasio Mahusay Castillon, Joel Tolin Lobero and Edselbert Anthony Aguilar Garabato.
The National Bureau of Investigation under Atty. Dominador Cimafranca held the sworn statements of the witnesses.
Col. Buenafe disclosed that the suspects are members of the Ogabang Gun for Hire and the Robbery Criminal Gang which are allegedly lead by a certain Boboy Ogabang of Culipapa, Hinobaan, and Negros Occidental. Other members of these gangs include Delfin Ogabang, Pulin Ogabang, Ricky Ogabang, Renante Delloso, Landring Mamac and a certain Francis.
The said criminal groups are said to be responsible for some cases of murder, robbery and hold-up in the provinces of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Zamboanga del Norte and Misamis Occidental.
Because of the filed murder charge towards the two suspects for the death of Judge Velasco, it is believed that the crime is already solved.
It can be remembered that on July 25 of last year, Judge Velasco was traveling on his way home to his residence in Bayawan City when the suspects fire several gun shots towards the victim causing his untimely death.
The Inter-Agency Task Force Velasco is headed by Col Buenafe with operatives from the NBI, CIDG and police officers of Bayawan City.
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Tue Jan 08, 2008 8:58 pm