Deaths of Bayan Muna leader, cousin not connected: police
Police Regional Office-6 director, Chief Supt. Samuel Pagdilao Jr., has declared the death of Zosimo Ingeniero was accidental and not connected to the killing of his cousin, Bayan Muna coordinator and Lezo town councilor Fernando Baldomero.
Pagdilao cited results of the forensic examination conducted on Ingeniero, witnesses’ accounts, and the evaluation of the crime scene by the Joint Investigative Task Group, created to investigate the case.
He said all findings point to a freak accident as the cause of the Ingeniero’s death.
The task group supervised by Pagdilao, is composed of Aklan Police Provincial director, Senior Superintendent Epifanio Bragais Jr.; Criminal Investigation and Detection Group investigators headed by deputy director for operations, Senior Supt. Christopher Laxa; 6th CIDG regional chief, Senior Supt. Benedicto Gorospe; Aklan Crime Laboratory provincial chief, Supt. Georby Manuel with trajectory expert Chief Insp. Medardo Palapo; CIDU provincial officer chief, Insp. Armie Agbuya; and Malinao police chief, Senior Insp. Aileen Rondario.
Pagdilao also declared there is no evidence to establish a relationship between the Ingeniero case and the killing of Baldomero although the two deceased persons are cousins.
Pagdilao said ballistic examinations conducted by the PNP Crime Laboratory Service concluded that all the .9mm shells and slugs, including the one extracted from the head of Ingeniero were all fired from the 9mm Ingram machine pistol recovered from the crime scene.
The Ingram was also tested positive for gun powder residue indicating that it was recently fired.
Pagdilao said paraffin tests conducted on Ingeniero’s right hand concluded that the victim was positive for gun powder nitrates while his three drinking buddies during the fateful night, identified as Belcezar Relimbo, Magdaleno Albacino Jr. and Suzano Albacino, were negative.
Trajectory analysis made at the slug extracted from the head of the victim confirmed that the bullet, which hit the victim’s right jaw, was found to have fired in a slightly upward direction.
The same conclusion was also made with the two slugs embedded in the trunk of the coconut tree. A fingerprint analysis also found the presence of Ingeniero’s fingerprints on the Ingram machine pistol.
Polygraph examinations conducted on Relimbo and the two Albacinos also yielded normal results.
Belcezar Relimbo later admitted in his testimonies that Ingeniero offered to sell the Ingram to him but he refused to buy the gun because he cannot afford it.
Ingeniero, 56, a village watchman from San Ramon, Malinao, Aklan was testing the Ingram but the machine pistol went out of control, hitting him under his right jaw at close range and the coconut tree where he had relieved himself. He was found dead the following morning by Relimbo.
Relimbo, who tried to conceal the Ingram and the 357 magnum of the victim, is now facing obstruction of justice charge.
Pagdilao said based on the admission of Relimbo and with the support of forensic and testimonial evidence, the joint investigative task group is wrapping up its investigation with a conclusive finding that Ingeniero’s death was purely accidental. PNA
