Estancia shooting probe team  welcomes NBI investigation

By Jennifer P. Rendon

Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) PALIBOSFER (Parohinog-Libao-Bosque and Fernandes), the team tasked to investigate the Estancia, Iloilo shooting incident, sees no conflict with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) conducting a parallel probe.

“The SITG welcomes the said move considering that the goal is the same: to solve the case in order to give justice to the victims and their families,” according to Senior Master Sergeant Francisco Lindero, Jr., SITG PALIBOSFER spokesperson.

Over the weekend, the National Bureau of Investigation-Western Visayas (NBI-6) confirmed that they sent personnel to Estancia per instruction from the NBI Central Office.

Lindero said the SITG is also coordinating and collaborating with the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) for matters relating to the case.

“This is because of the needed validation and follow-up on information regarding the victims who are all residents of Iloilo City,” he said.

As a matter of protocol, Lindero said lateral coordination is encouraged for both investigating bodies and that the IPPO, through the SITG, has the primary jurisdiction to probe the incident.

Over the weekend, the Police Regional Office (PRO)-6 created SITG PALIBOSFER to run after the suspects behind the Sept 14, 2022 Estancia shooting incident that killed three young businessmen.

It is headed by Colonel Adrian Acollador, director of the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO).

Colonel Martin Defensor, Jr., PRO-6 deputy regional director for operations, will supervise the group.

The SITG PALIBOSFER will focus on the immediate resolution of the case.

Major R A Guardaya, provincial chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Iloilo provincial Field Unit, is the Assistant Commander and head of the investigation team.

The investigation team also includes personnel from the Regional Forensic Unit 6, IPPO, Regional Intelligence Unit, and Estancia Municipal Police Station chief.

Hours after the shooting, Francisco said he sent trained investigators to Estancia, Iloilo to help in the investigation.

“We believe that incident in Estancia is a significant case and needs an immediate result that is why we have this SITG,” Francisco said.

The team will be working closely with the CIDG-6 and Regional Forensic Unit 6 (RFU6) and, if necessary, they will have to tap the help of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

The region’s top cop also gave assurance to the victims’ families that the PNP in Western Visayas will do their best and exert all efforts to immediately resolve the incident.

The shooting incident led to the deaths of businessmen Chrysler Floyd Fernandes, 27, of Dayot Subdivision, Barangay Jereos, La Paz, Iloilo City; Jan Paul Mark Bosque, 28, of Lopez Jaena Sur, Lapuz, Iloilo City; and Mark Clarence Libao, 24, of Block 4, Lot 6, Sto. Rosario Village, Barangay Quintin Salas, Jaro, Iloilo City.

Only Jevron Parojinog survived the incident.

The 24-year-old Parojinog, a resident of Barangay Villa Pani-an, Estancia, the area where the shooting incident happened, tested negative in the paraffin test.