Murder raps in Carl-Kulot slays refiled in Navotas RTC

MANILA, Philippines — Two police officers accused of killing teenagers Carl Angelo Arnaiz and Reynaldo “Kulot” de Guzman were formally charged yesterday before the Navotas regional trial court (RTC) with murder after a Caloocan court dismissed the case for lack of jurisdiction.

The two counts of murder were refiled at the Navotas court after the Caloocan RTC dismissed the case, supposedly because the crime happened in Navotas.

The charges against Police Officers 1 Ricky Arquilita and Jefrey Perez were raffled yesterday to the Navotas RTC Branch 287, headed by Presiding Judge Romana Lindayag-del Rosario.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecutors earlier sought the withdrawal of the two counts of murder after their witness, “Joe Daniel,” testified that the 19-year-old Arnaiz was shot at a grassy area in Dalagang Bukid, Navotas.

The accused cops then allegedly staged a second crime scene in Dagat-Dagatan, Caloocan, where Arnaiz allegedly fought back, so that the investigation would fall under the jurisdiction of the Caloocan police, according to the prosecution.

In her joint resolution dated May 9, Caloocan RTC Branch 122 Presiding Judge Georgina Hidalgo said she is dismissing the murder charges for lack of jurisdiction without prejudice to its refiling in the proper court.

The judge also denied the motions of the accused cops to dismiss not just the murder charges, but also the charges of torture and planting of evidence, which according to the prosecution already happened in Caloocan. This means these cases would remain under the Caloocan court.