2 men in slay try on newsman released
STA. BARBARA–Two men who were arrested by the police before noon of July 2 as among three suspects in the attempted slaying of a local newsman were released the next day after the Sta. Barbara police failed to secure warrants for their arrest.
The two, who were among three persons identified by Jaime Aquino, publisher of the newspaper “Northern Star” as the ones who shot him while he was in a waiting shed, were William Parazo Garcia, 27, of Barangay Nandacan, Bautista, and Jerry Aquino, 42, of Barangay Luyan, Mapandan.
Both denied their involvement in the crime and Jerry Aquino, a relative of the victim, said at the time of the shooting, he was working in a construction site in Sto. Tomas, some 40 kilometers away from Sta. Barbara.
The suspects were picked up by members of three manhunt teams organized by Police Provincial Director Marlou Chan from the Provincial Intelligence Branch, Regional Intelligence Unit and Regional Intelligence Division of the Police just two hours after the incident.
The victim, now in stable condition after he was operated on by doctors of the Villaflor Doctors Memorial Hospital in Dagupan City, has been placed under guard.
Aquino sustained one gunshot wound in the back that went through and through, but none of his internal organ was damaged by the bullet from a Cal. 45 pistol used by the gunman.
Gov. Amado Espino Jr. called on the police to conduct a thorough and objective investigation into the attempted murder of Aquino.
Aquino was charged along with Espino and 1st District Rep. Jesus Celeste in a complaint filed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) before the Department of Justice in connection with the slaying of Infanta Mayor Ruperto Martinez in the afternoon of Dec. 15, 2012.
The NBI filed the complaint based on the sworn statement made by Aquino’s 16-year old son Justine saying he witnessed Espino, Celeste and his father hatch up the plan to kill Martinez.
The allegations have been denied by all the respondents.
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