7 Isabela cops axed over torture, murder raps

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Philippines – A town police chief in Isabela and six of his men were relieved from their posts on Thursday for the alleged torture and summary execution of three carjacking suspects last May.

Senior Inspector Sherwin Concha, Aurora town police chief; Inspector Rey Lopez; Senior Police Officer 3 Julian Obrero III; Senior Police Officer 1 Randolph Cauan; and Police Officers 2 Alex Abalos, Jose Soliven II and Eduardo Aban were charged with murder before the Department of Justice for the killing of Gabriel Ternio, 29; Johnny Languit, 19; and Noel Te-od, 18. 

National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) officer Paul Rivera said the victims, all residents of Pinukpuk, Kalinga, went missing after their arrest at the town’s public market on May 3. 

The victims’ decapitated bodies were later recovered in a lot owned by the family of Abalos in Barangay Bagong Tanza on June 2. 

Rivera said that the victims’ companion, Alexander Fernandez, who managed to escape, recounted their ordeal to the NBI. 

The NBI also filed obstruction of justice charges against Aurora Mayor William Uy, municipal administrator Edna Salvador and Bienvenido Abalos for allegedly withholding information and preventing witnesses from testifying.

In a text message to The STAR, Uy said he is out of the country and the allegations against him were baseless.