Murder complaint refiled vs soldiers in Italian priest’s slay

MANILA, Philippines — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) refiled a murder complaint yesterday before the Department of Justice against two Army officers and 10 other soldiers in connection with the killing of Italian priest Fausto “Pops” Tentorio in North Cotabato seven years ago. 

The NBI-Central Mindanao filed the complaint against Lt. Col. Joven Gonzales, Maj. Mark Espiritu, Jimmy Ato, Robert Ato, Jan Corbala, Nene Durado, Kaing Labi, Joseph Basol, Edgar Enoc, Romulo Tapgos, William Buenaflor and an alias Katong based on the recommendation of a fact-finding committee.

Senior State Prosecutor Peter Ong said  they have yet to identify 20 other soldiers present at the Arakan Central Elementary School during a bayanihan activity when Tentorio was killed, but some of the members of the paramilitary group called Bagani who were at the scene have been identified.   

Tentorio, 59, who was also a known environmentalist, was in the compound of the Our Mother of Perpetual Help parish in Arakan, North Cotabato beside the school when he was shot. Some students and teachers reportedly saw the gunman.

 Ong said he recommended the creation of a panel of prosecutors to handle the preliminary investigation of the case.  

The prosecution earlier filed but withdrew the complaints for murder and frustrated murder against the soldiers.