No bail for 3 shooting suspects in Talisay City

CEBU, Philippines- The Talisay City Prosecutor’s Office recommended no bail for the three accused in the fatal attack on three foreign nationals in Barangay Tabunok over a week ago.

State prosecutor Hyacinth Jadraque charged Ricci Edwin Ramirez Jr., Allano Velos and Roger Cal, all residents of Talisay City, with murder before the Regional Trial Court over the death of German national Heinrich Haffner, a disaster relief volunteer.

They were also charged with two counts of frustrated murder after Frenchman Julien Jerome Mathieu Maillar and Indian national Cheten Saparaiya were wounded during the attack.

Aside from murder and two counts of frustrated murder, Ramirez is also charged with illegal possession of firearm and possession of illegal drugs. Ramirez, Velos, and Cal denied the charges against them.

Ramirez claimed he was only dragged into the case while Cal said he was only forced to accompany Ramirez because the latter used his motorcycle. Velos said he was in his residence when the shooting incident happened at 4 a.m. on February 20 inside a fast-food outlet in Barangay Tabunok, Talisay City.

A hot pursuit operation resulted in the arrest of the three accused. The police seized a caliber .45 pistol from Ramirez which allegedly matched with one of the firearms used in the shooting incident. The police also recovered two packs of shabu in his possession.

Ramirez also tested positive of gun powder residue during the paraffin test. The three accused are now detained at the Talisay City Jail. (FREEMAN)