8 COPS GUILTY IN 2018 GRUESOME MURDER-TORTURE CASE

THE long fight for justice for the torture and murder of the friend and close aide of former Biliran congressman, Atty. Glenn Chong, appears to be over after the Makati Regional Trial Court found guilty of murder eight of the accused, all of them members of the Philippine National Police.

In a decision covering 111-pages and the trial lasting nearly 8 years since the victims were killed in 2018, Honorable Judge Cristina Arcilla Mabazza, presiding judge of Branch 141, Makati Regional Trial Court handed down the decision last March 13 and sentenced the eight to ‘reclusion perpetua’ (life term) for the murder of Richard ‘Red’ Santillan and Gessamyn Casing. The incident took place on the night of December 9, 2018 in Bgy. San Andres, Cainta, Rizal.

(A full copy of the decision has been uploaded by Chong in his social media account).

Those found guilty are:

SPO1 Rene SJ Eufracio, PO1 Napoleon T. Relox, PO1 Terry Anthony Alcantara, PO2 Diogenes N. Barrameda Jr., PO3 Julius S. Villadarez, PO3 Richard J. Raagas, PO3 Efren D. Areola, and PO2 Merwin C. Macam.

Meanwhile, the case against PO1 Carlos Navoa, who remains at large, has been archived pending his surrender or arrest.

Their highest superior, then Calabarzon police director, PCSUPT. Edward Carranza was charged for obstruction of justice for insisting that Santillan and Casing died during a gunfight with the police.

‘Rubout’ not ‘legitimate encounter’

The victims were on their way home after a distribution of Christmas gifts in the area to indigent families being supported by Santillan and Chong when they were waylaid by the police who peppered Santillan’s vehicle with bullets.

The Calabarzon police under Carranza would later claim that Santillan and Casing were killed during a “legitimate” armed encounter.

The accused even presented a “paltik” .38 caliber revolver (no serial number) as the gun Santillan allegedly use to shoot it out with the police. This claim was later debunked during the trial.

A separate investigation conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on the order of then President Rodrigo Duterte established that Santillan and Casing were victims of a police “rubout.”

An autopsy of Santillan’s body conducted by the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) also showed he was heavily tortured before being killed.

This led to speculations that both victims were earlier abducted by the police, heavily tortured and then brought to the site where the police then staged their fake encounter script.

Chong also noted at the time that the dash cam of Santillan’s vehicle that could have recorded the entire incident was forcibly removed and has never been recovered.

Initially, 23 PNP officers and personnel have been slapped with murder, of which the highest in rank is PINSP. Sandro A. Ortega.

Smartmatic behind the crime

In press interviews, Chong is adamant in pointing the accusing finger at election system provider, Smartmatic, as the “brains” behind the murder of his friend.

Chong has long been a critic of Smartmatic, claiming that it is engaged in election cheating in favor of some candidates and not in the fair count of votes during elections.

Smartmatic is the country’s automated election system provider, which has earned billions of contracts with the Philippine government.

Chong has refused to be bribed or be intimidated by Smartmatic and its protectors in government.

He theorized that officials of Smartmatic confederated with corrupt and criminal members of the PNP to murder Santillan, with Casing as collateral damage.

Casing was to supposed to visit her family in the province for the Christmas holiday when she was killed.

Chong said the murder of Santillan is to send a clear message to him that he would also be silenced violently if he does not stop exposing how Smartmatic has been manipulating the country’s elections.