DAVAO CITY — Murder charges were filed Tuesday afternoon before the City Prosecutor’s Office against a police regional intelligence chief implicated by suspects in the killing of billionaire businessman Richard Lim King who was killed last June 12 in Obrero, this city.
Based on a copy of the affidavit of complaint obtained by Davao Today, the murder charges with Docket Number XI-02-INV-14-F-4073 was filed by complainant James Lim King, the brother of the victim and was received by Assistant City Prosecutor Panfilo Junior Lovitos.
The affidavit of complaint accused Police Superintendent Leonardo A. Felonia, head of the Regional Intelligence Unit and three others as suspects in King’s killing.
The affidavit indicated that Felonia was still “at large” as he was not in the custody of the local and regional police offices.
Felonia went to Mayor Rodrigo Duterte Monday night “to clear his name” but Duterte refused to receive Felonia saying he “was not an investigating authority.”
The affidavit included sworn statements from six witnesses excluding that of brothers Rodel Dela Cerna and Rommel Dela Cerna and Paul Dave Molina Labang who are also suspects in the killing of Richard King.
In his sworn statement, Rodel dela Cerna, one of the suspects, said he drove the getaway vehicle while his brother Rommel dela Cerna was allegedly the one who confirmed if King, whom they said wore a green shirt and a black maong and was inside his office; alleged gunman Paul Labang went in to shoot him in the head.
But Rommel in his sworn statement claims “wala ko kabalo nga negosyante diay to ug ila diay tong pusilon (I did not know that he was a businessman and that they [Rodel and Labang] will shoot him.)”
Rommel said he surrendered last June 22 to “aron mo witness sa pagpusil ni Paul (to testiy that it was Paul [who shot King].”
Labang in his sworn statement said Felonia first contacted them last March in a gun shooting range in Ma-a, Davao City where they worked as “pulot boys.” He said they were asked by Felonia to a trabaho (job), which according to Paul means “bigay” ormay itutumba (kill someone.)
Labang said he was contacted again by Felonia last June 9 and was offered P120,000 for a job and which he accepted. Paul said he immediately told Rodel that they have a “Go.”
He said it was only June 10 that Felonia called again and told him to go to his [Felonia’s] office in the RIU (Regionail Intelligence Unit) in Ecoland.
Labang said he immediately went to the RIU compound where Felonia “binigay ang pera nakabalot sa papel at ang litrato (gave the money wrapped in paper and the picture [of King] and told him the schedule was “(June) 11 or 12 in Vital C in Victoria Plaza.”
Labang said that in June 12, a certain “Dodong Panugas” whom he said was a tauhan (man) of Felonia called him up at 3:30 pm to tell them that they can “abante (proceed).”
Labang said that it was also “Dodong” who called them of the color of King’s clothes.
After killing King, Labang said he boarded the motorcycle driven by but they also parted in a corner of a street in Obrero. Rommel dela Cerna who initially thought the two would come back for him also left the area and boarded a passenger jeepney to go home.
Rodel Dela Cerna claims he only knew of the true identity of King when he heard about it in a television report. Labang said he only knew about it last June 13, when Rodel told him about it.
Rommel dela Cerna surrendered himself to the police last Sunday, June 22 while Rodel dela Cerna and Labang were arrested hours after at the Laud Firing Range in Maa.
Davao PRO spokesperson Chief Inspector Jed Clamor in an interview with the media said that Felonia was ordered relieved while under the “restrictive custody” of the National Bureau of Investigation.(davaotoday.com)
