Court junks murder case vs. Beup, Morales on Art Cruz’s death
ROXAS CITY – The City Prosecution Office here has dismissed the murder case against Sta. Barbara Administrator Glendofer “Glenn” Beup and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 1st Engineering District Engr. Ethel Morales who were accused in connection with the killing of Mr. Art Cruz, political coordinator of 1st District Cong. Antonio del Rosario.
The resolution penned down by a special team of prosecutors formed earlier by City Prosecutor Erwin Ignacio stated that the case against the two accused has no prima facie evidence while lone witness Lornalyn Andrade has inconsistent statements during the preliminary investigation.
It was learned that Ignacio formed a special team of prosecutors to conduct a preliminary investigation on the said case, namely, 4th Assistant City Prosecutor James V. Advincula and 4th Assistant City Prosecutor Fernald H. Jornalesas.
Last May 12, Beup, blocktimer mediaman and host of Pulso sang Banwa of Alto Cable TV and municipal administrator of Sta. Barbara, Iloilo; Morales, project engineer of Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 1st engineering district; and a certain Rand were charged of murder in connection with the death of Cruz.
The case is docketed as No. VI-16-INV-09F-000161 entitled SP01 Charlyn Tupaz vs Alyas Glenn, Ethel and Rand for murder.
In a telephone interview, Beup told The News Today (TNT) that he thanked the Lord that the truth prevailed sparing him and Morales as innocents of the crime.
According to him, the turn of events strengthened his credibility as mediaman and be a lesson that media should investigate first the issue before airing it on the public.
He said that he is happy for the prosecutor’s decision and he is very thankful that people in Roxas City still believe in him.
He added that his program “Pulso sang Banwa” will resume very soon at Alto cable TV.