CA affirms murder raps vs. 8 cops over Atimonan rubout

The Court of Appeals has affirmed the multiple murder cases filed against eight of the 12 police officers involved in the January 2013 rubout in Atimonan, Quezon.

 

A report on News To Go on Friday said the CA junked the petition filed by the eight police officers asking that the cases filed by the Department of Justice be dismissed.

 

The appelate court said there was no grave abuse of discretion on the part of the DOJ when it found cause to press charges, the report said.

 

It added that the CA also saw the elements laid out by the DOJ when it recommended that multiple murder charges be filed in September 2013.

 

A total of 13 policemen, including Superintendent Hansel Marantan, face charges for the January 6, 2013 bloodbath that left 13 people dead. 

 

Marantan was the ground commander of the government team that carried out the supposed operation against members of a gun-for-hire group, but investigators said it was a case of rubout in connection with a turf war between the victims' group and a "video karera" operator in Laguna. 

 

In April 2014, Marantan and the 12 other cops involved were ordered dismissed from service. —Rose-An Jessica Dioquino/KG, GMA News