CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Bureau of Customs-10 (BOC-10) denied on Saturday, November 11 that the person who was killed in an altercation with a broker here Thursday night, was one of their employees as the agency is now investigating how the victim was able to possess a Customs-issued identification card.
According to reports, Roy Ancajas, 45, a resident of Barangay Mabolo, Cebu City, was found dead in a ditch in front of the police precinct in Barangay Macasandig. He was identified through an ID stating that he was a member of the Customs police.
But Alvin Enciso, head of the BOC-10’s Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS), pointed out that Ancajas is not in any way connected with the agency.
“Ancajas is not a member of the Customs Police nor is he an employee of the bureau,” he said, adding that Ancajas’ identify was verified upon checking the records of the Customs Police and BOC-10’s roster of employees.
Hence, he described Ancajas’ Customs Police ID as a counterfeit.
He stressed that the agency would look into how Ancajas was able to obtain the ID, which bore the signature of Special Agent 2 Pedro Amante Jr., the Enforcement Security Service (ESS) administrative officer.
He said the identification card of the Customs Police should have been signed by the ESS commander. The Customs Police is a unit under the ESS.
Argument with a broker
Roman Moscoso, the region’s Customs police chief, said Ancajas had a heated argument with Joed Pasasadaba, a licensed broker, prior to his death.
In interview with reporters, Macasandig Police commander Senior Inspector Abdul Alim Sumandar believed that a .45 caliber pistol was used to gun down Ancajas. He said eight pieces of spent cartridges were found at the crime scene.
Investigators also recovered a wristwatch, a sling bag, a backpack containing several documents, and a pink Nissan Sentra sedan bearing plate no. WFG-678.
Reports said Ancajas might have engaged Pasasadaba in a gunfight. The latter was brought to a medical facility where he was treated for the five gunshot wounds he allegedly sustained.
Pasasadaba’s driver Siegfred Roxas was said to be in police custody. Roxas reportedly helped authorities in retrieving two .45 caliber handguns with live bullets near the crime scene.
In his statement to the police, Amante said that Ancajas is not a bonafide member of the Customs Police as he attested that the victim’s ID was forgery and that he was not the authorized signatory of the Customs Police identification cards.
Enciso said BOC Commissioner Isidro Lapeña, CIIS Director Wilkins Villanueva, and BOC-10 Collector Jamail Marohomsalic have already given instructions to Customs investigators to coordinate with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to further investigate details surrounding Ancajas’ death.
Marvin Mison, BOC-10 deputy collector for assessment, said a Bureau of Customs ID must be signed a higher authorities such as the district commander and the deputy collection manager. (davaotoday.com)
