The request of placing the family of alleged kidnapped victim, Enrique Fernandez III, and other witnesses under the witness protection program of the Department of Justice (DOJ) is now in the process, an official of Regional Prosecutor’s Office said.
Regional State Prosecutor Jaime Umpa said the application for the inclusion of members of the Fernandez family and of the witnesses are being forwarded to the DOJ-Manila for approval.
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is now validating information from the Fernandez family and from at least three witnesses that may uncover the motive of the alleged October 23 kidnapping perpetrated by five members of the Cagayan de Oro City Police.
NBI Special Investigator III Pastor Oran said the Fernandez family and the three witnesses, including the victim’s live-in partner Meredith Mah, have already given them sensitive information which Oran, however, declined to reveal.
The NBI panel of investigators earlier told the media that Mah recently sold a house and lot worth some P6.5 million which could have prompted the supposed kidnapping.
Mah is the mother of the late Stacey Villar whose late father, Anselmo Quisumbing Villar Jr., owned several real properties in the city.
Stacey Villar was the 14 year-old Abbas’ Orchard student brutally murdered inside her own bedroom allegedly by Mah’s former lover in August last year.
“Naa nay mga information pero dili pa nato mahatag kay sensitive pa (The information is already available but it cannot be given yet since its sensitive). It was provided by the witnesses and the complainants during sa atong pag conduct sa interview,” Oran said.
Oran said they are gathering more information that would corroborate the leads provided by the victim’s family and by the witnesses.
The NBI is also in the process of tracking down the white Honda vehicle used in the alleged kidnapping and the victim’s motorcycle which was taken by one of the accused policemen.
Oran said they have sought the help of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to determine the owner of the Honda vehicle seen in the close-circuit camera (CCTV) recording.
“Wala ta nag stop sa pagpangita aha na ang sakyanan and motor, posible atong ikonsulta sa LTO katong plate number sa sakyanan kung kinsa tag-iya (We did not stop looking for the vehicle and motorcycle, we will consult the LTO about the plate number of the vehicle in order to find its owner),” Oran said.
“Wala ta naghunong sa atong investigation ug pagpangita sa dugang mga ebidensya para mapakusog ang kaso (We did not stop the investigation and the search for evidences to strengthen the case),” Oran added.
A police regional official said the five accused policemen, Crime Against Person and Property Desk Chief Ereneo Ramirez and his men Police officer 3 Alejandro Ubanan, Senior Police Officer 2 Jojo Lim, Senior Police Officer 1 Alaindelon Tacubao, and Police Officer 2 Sangkula Hussein, will be facing administrative charges apart from the criminal charges already leveled against them.
Northern Mindanao Police spokesperson Surki Sereñas said a summary hearing officer has been assigned to handle the separate investigation.
Sereñas said the summary hearing officer will recommend the sanctions and penalties to be meted out against the suspects which will then be forwarded to the police regional director for approval.
