KIDAPAWAN CITY (MindaNews / 30 Sept) — Authorities on Friday filed murder and frustrated murder charges against a policeman who killed another policeman after they engaged in a heated argument in M’lang, North Cotabato on September 21.
Inspector Jorlito Patrona, deputy chief of M’lang Police, identified those charged as Police Officer 1 Vergil Rivera, member of the Regional Public Safety Battalion (RPSB) in Region 11 based in Davao del Norte, and his younger brother, Private Jomar Rivera and Police Officer 1 Marlon Jongco.
Patrona sid they already coordinated with Rivera’s unit in Davao del Norte but were told the police officer has not been reporting to work since the incident in M’lang.
Jongco and the younger Rivera were consiered accessories to the crime, Patrona said, explaining that they could have turned over PO1 Rivera to authorities after the shooting incident. {But that did not happen in this case. Private Rivera and Jongco eluded arrest,” he said.
On September 21, Rivera shot dead a certain Police Officer 2 Lloyd Platon, member of the T’boli municipal police station, after a heated argument at a barbecue stall along Magsaysay Avenue in Poblacion, M’lang.
Patrona said the two police officers were both drunk, wore civilian clothes but were armed with their service pistols.
Accordingly, Rivera approached Platon and asked why he was carrying a gun. That started their argument.
A certain Wendel Papna tried to pacify the two but Rivera had already fired his gun and shot Platon in the head at close range. Papna, one of Rivera’s companions, was wounded during the shooting incident, according to Patrona.
Patrona said they already submitted the charge sheet at the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office in Kidapawan City on Friday.
Platon was buried on Saturday in M’lang public cemetery. (Malu Cadelina Manar / MindaNews)