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Killer of DzEQ technician, a cop?

BAGUIO CITY (Mar. 31) — The lone eye witness in the brutal January 26 slay of Radyo ng Bayan-Baguio technician Rogelio Villafuerte has broken his silence.

Fifty-two year old taxi driver Dominador A. Darang told the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Cordillera Administrative Region (CIDG-CAR) that he saw a Baguio City policeman shoot Villafuerte.

Villafuerte, 38, a technician at the government-run broadcast station Radyo ng Bayan-Baguio (DZEQ) was driving his car along Leonard Wood Road, several meters away from his work when he was felled by a single bullet.

The victim had just celebrated his 38th birthday with his family in Naguillan in La Union and was headed for his morning shift on the station’s opening program at 4 a.m. when he was shot.

Gunpowder burns were evident on the victim’s bonnet proving that the gunman killed him at close range. The bullet reportedly pierced his nape.

Cop did it?

Darang told investigators at the CIDG-CAR that he was driving his taxi along Leonard Wood Road on the night Villafuerte was killed.

Darang said he saw two men approach Villafuerte’s Kia Pride car. He identified one of them as Senior Police Officer Marciano Chulyao. Chulyao and a companion allegedly entered Villafuerte’s car.

Darang said he was only five meters away from the crime scene when he saw Chulyao drag Villafuerte out of his car, later on killing him. He told investigators that a short firearm was used.

“Halos katapat na ng aking sasakyan ng barilin nito ang biktima,” Darang said.

Darang fled, shocked by what he saw. Other policemen were already at the crime scene when he passed by later.

CIDG investigators showed five mug shots of male suspects in the Villafuerte killing where Darang positively identified Chulyao.

Darang’s sworn statement to the CIDG is already filed at the Baguio Prosecutor’s Office.

Baguio City Police Chief Sr. Supt. Isagani Nerez denied Chulyao’s involvement. He added that Chulyao is willing to undergo a polygraph test to prove his innocence.

Nonetheless, Nerez vowed Chulyao will undergo administrative processes pending his investigation.

Chulyao was then assigned at the Police Sub-station 3 along Brgy. Pacdal, several meters away from the crime scene. He is now stationed at Police Sub-station 6 in Brgy.Aurora Hill.

Lawyer Edgar Avila, representing the family of Villafuerte, said Darang has since gone into hiding after spilling the beans two weeks ago. He said Darang fears for his life because two of the alternate drivers of the taxi he was driving were already hurt.

One of the said alternate drivers was reportedly gunned down several weeks ago in the city while another survived a knife attack also several weeks ago.

His livelihood is also affected, Avila said. He has five children to feed and his only source is his driving a taxicab. # Artemio A. Dumlao for NORDIS

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