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After 17 years, the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) has finally convicted nine policemen for the murder of Esmael Omar an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) who was mistaken for a rebel.
A 94-page ruling dated Nov. 9 sentenced SPO4 Wilson Tirso Tibor, SPO4 Remigio Estacio, SPO3 Edgardo Abaga, SPO2 Julian Siriban, SPO2 Eduardo Ramos, PO3 Randy Dimayuga, PO3 Ronald Hernandez, PO2 Philip Malindog and PO1 Ignacio Garlan. to six to twelve years in prison at Manila RTC Branch 41.
On June 8, 2000, policemen shot and killed Omar and his colleague Samin Akmad in Quiapo, Manila, after police personnel thought they were members of a rebel group Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). They were both killed in heights of the Metro Manila bomb scare. However, the police said that it was a legitimate operation and they were only defending themselves when the incident was happening.
Prosecution witness Linang Anguso said the two were OFWs who were set to leave for Jeddah the next month. Court ruling revealed that the police demonstrated determined effort to kill the OFWs and not just acting on defending themselves.
A 94-page ruling dated Nov. 9 sentenced SPO4 Wilson Tirso Tibor, SPO4 Remigio Estacio, SPO3 Edgardo Abaga, SPO2 Julian Siriban, SPO2 Eduardo Ramos, PO3 Randy Dimayuga, PO3 Ronald Hernandez, PO2 Philip Malindog and PO1 Ignacio Garlan. to six to twelve years in prison at Manila RTC Branch 41.
On June 8, 2000, policemen shot and killed Omar and his colleague Samin Akmad in Quiapo, Manila, after police personnel thought they were members of a rebel group Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). They were both killed in heights of the Metro Manila bomb scare. However, the police said that it was a legitimate operation and they were only defending themselves when the incident was happening.
Prosecution witness Linang Anguso said the two were OFWs who were set to leave for Jeddah the next month. Court ruling revealed that the police demonstrated determined effort to kill the OFWs and not just acting on defending themselves.
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While a murder case was also filed for the death of Akmad, the Manila RTC absolved the policemen since the prosecution witness only pointed to Tibor as the shooter.
“Further guided by the onus probandi (burden of proof) in criminal cases which requires moral certainty, this Court finds and so holds that acquitting the six accused of the first charge (Akmad’s death) would be in keeping with the ends of justice,” the court said.
The Manila RTC also ordered the policemen to pay the heirs of Esmael Omar P75,000 for death indemnity, P75,000 for moral damages, and P30,000 for exemplary damages side from jail term.
Source: Inquirer
“Further guided by the onus probandi (burden of proof) in criminal cases which requires moral certainty, this Court finds and so holds that acquitting the six accused of the first charge (Akmad’s death) would be in keeping with the ends of justice,” the court said.
The Manila RTC also ordered the policemen to pay the heirs of Esmael Omar P75,000 for death indemnity, P75,000 for moral damages, and P30,000 for exemplary damages side from jail term.
Source: Inquirer
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