ILOILO City – The Iloilo Provincial Prosecutor’s Office denied the motion for reconsideration filed by the Iloilo Police Provincial Office’s (IPPO) Task Force “Palibosfer” seeking a reversal to the former’s resolution junking the police’s murder complaint against several persons for the death of three young businessmen in Estancia, Iloilo.
There were no new substantial arguments to reverse the dismissal of three counts of murder charges filed against 11 respondents, pointed out the three-page Feb. 17, 2023 resolution signed by Assistant Provincial Prosecutor Ronilo Pamonag and approved by Iloilo Provincial Prosecutor Ma. Elena Hofileña Gerochi.
Accused of three counts of murder were Jevron Parohinog, his brother Jix Parohinog, Michael Porras, Michael Quiachon, Benzen Llamado, and six “John Does”. They were charged for the death on Sept. 14, 2022 in Barangay Villa Pani-an, Estancia of Jan Paul Mark Bosque of Sara, Iloilo; Chrysler Floyd Fernandes of Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo; and Mark Libao of Iloilo City, all friends of Jevron.
Task Force Palibosfer and family members of the victims who served as complainants filed the motion for reconsideration on Jan. 11, 2023.
The movants or petitioners raised arguments to include Parohinog’s judicial affidavits as he was not under custodial investigation when he executed the same, evidence indicating the crimes were committed in Estancia, and there is sufficient circumstantial evidence to warrant a probable cause against Parohinog.
The resolution further stated that “it bears pointing out that based on the Chemistry Report No. C-049-22-RFU6, respondent Parohinog underwent paraffin test on Sept. 14, 2022.”
The following day, Sept. 15, he executed his first judicial affidavit. On Sept. 28, personnel from the Regional Forensic Unit 6 conducted a luminol examination in the container van where an ice making machine was located, portions of Parohinog’s residence, and the vehicle carrying him and the victims. In addition, per certification dated Oct. 4, 2022 which reproduced blotter entry No. 063019-202209-0249, the Estancia police station was informed that Parohinog declined to undergo polygraph test. And in the second week of October, Parohinog executed a second judicial affidavit.
“The paraffin investigation on the hands of Parohinog, the luminol test in his residence and in an ice plant, and the request for the respondent to undergo lie detector test cannot be treated merely as part of a general inquiry into an unsolved crime or what happened on that fateful night. On the contrary, these highlight the fact that the investigation was already focusing on or beginning to consider Parohinog as a suspect or someone who has had active participation in the incident he himself reported. Therefore, the rules regarding custodial investigation, particularly the taking of written statements, already apply. As a consequence, the issue on the admissibility or inadmissibility of Parohinog’s written statements shall be resolved in the light of their compliance or non-compliance with what the Constitution and the laws require. On this note, as we have opined, the judicial affidavits are admissible,” read part of the resolution.
It added, “Lastly, the rest of the issues raised by the movants were squarely passed upon in the assailed joint resolution and there is no new cogent and substantial arguments ground to conduct a preliminary investigation.”
To recall, the provincial prosecutor dismissed the three counts of murder charges against 11 respondents due to insufficient evidence or lack of direct evidence through an 11-page Dec. 10, 2022 resolution./PN
