Slain rider’s kin insist on raps vs HPG cops

MANILA, Philippines – The family of John dela Riarte insisted on pursuing the murder and torture charges filed against two Highway Patrol Group (HPG) policemen who arrested and killed the motorcycle rider.

In a 14-page reply submitted in preliminary hearing yesterday, the victim’s family, represented by his brother Robert, asked the investigating prosecutors of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to file the cases against Police Officer 3 Jeremiah de Villa and PO2 Jonjie Manon-og in court.

But a day after formally denying the charges against him at the DOJ, De Villa died after he reportedly jumped from a building at Camp Crame.

Under criminal procedures, deceased respondents are automatically absolved of criminal liabilities.  

The complainants rejected the policemen’s defense that John was killed after he supposedly tried to snatch their firearms.

“By no stretch of one’s imagination can victim John dela Riarte, who was described by both respondents to be tall and with good physique, be able to head-butt and at the same time grab the firearm of… Manon-og, as it would be impossible, if not too difficult for… Dela Riarte to do so considering that his arms were handcuffed behind his back,” read the pleading filed through the public attorney’s office.

The victim’s family also rebutted the claim of respondents that their action should be accorded presumption of regularity in the performance of duty.

“Dela Riarte died of multiple gunshot wounds fired at close range near the heart, liver and hips, where large veins are located. Hence, the intent to kill was clearly manifested by the cause of his death. (De Villa and Manon-og) cannot hide under the mantle of regularity in the performance of their sworn duties,” the complainants said.

They said what Dela Riarte sustained were “multiple gunshots done in execution-style.”

Aside from murder and torture charges, the complainants also reiterated the robbery charges against the policemen, who returned only P300 when the victim had over P30,000 in his bag during the incident last July 29.

In their separate counter-affidavits submitted to the DOJ last week, De Villa and Manon-og denied allegations of murder, torture and robbery and claimed that Dela Riarte twice attempted to snatch their firearms.

The first attempt was when De Villa approached him when he was allegedly kicking and smashing a car using his crash helmet and the second was when he was in the patrol vehicle while on their way to Camp Crame.