THE Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) has maintained that their investigation on the deaths of the father and younger brother of Negros Island Region top drug suspect Ricky Serenio was accurate.
Senior Superintendent Jack Wanky, BCPO officer-in-charge, said it was the two witnesses who identified the same gunman on both incidents.
However, Wanky won’t confirm or deny that it was Senior Police Officer 1 Joshua Barile, now assigned at the Intelligence Group of the Philippine National Police in Camp Crame, who was charged for two counts of murder on the Serenio killings.
Barile confirmed to VoxPop Bacolod on Monday, May 29, that he is facing charges for the twin murders, but vehemently denied involvement in the incidents.
Wanky reiterated that the gunman was positively identified by the two witnesses through a photograph shown to them.
After the criminal charges were already filed before the City Prosecutor’s Office on Friday, the police did not divulge the identity of the suspected gunman for the security of the family.
Wanky said the Serenios requested the police not to reveal the name of the suspect.
“It is precautionary on their part. We are not categorically saying that they are threatened. Considering the capability of the suspect, it should be better they are on guard. It’s part of the security measure not to reveal the name of the suspect,” he added.
Wanky said they relied on the evidence they gathered, including the statements of the witnesses.
“The Serenio family doesn't want trial by publicity. They (the public) don’t know what the family is going through, they are fighting for their lives,” he added. “Let the court decide. Let the witnesses fight their battle in the proper court.”
On April 10, Serenio’s younger brother, Wilmar, 31, was gunned down by two unidentified assailants outside their house at Barangay Singcang-Airport in Bacolod City.
Their father Wilfredo, 53, was also shot to death by two unidentified men on board a motorcycle on May 23. He will be buried today at the public cemetery in Barangay Handumanan.
Earlier this year, Ricky Serenio, the alleged bagman of Berya drug group, had linked several ranking policemen and other law enforcers to the illegal drug trade.