‘IT’S NOT OVER YET’: Case vs cops in bizman’s killing junked

By Jennifer P. Rendon 

The fight is not yet over.

This is what former lawmaker Salvador “Buddy” Britanico said after the recent decision of the Office of the State Prosecutor (OSP) to dismiss the case against a ranking police officer and five other policemen who were tagged in the death of his son, businessman Delfin Britanico.

Britanico, a lawyer by profession and former Barangay Association for National Advancement and Transparency (BANAT) party-list representative and former Iloilo Assemblyman, said the decision is not yet final.

“Damo pa na agyan nga proseso,” he said adding that it was an assistant state prosecutor who signed the dismissal and not the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Britanico noted that the OSP is just an agency under the DOJ.

“The final decision insofar as the DOJ is concerned is the Secretary of Justice,” he said.

Britanico said they filed a motion for reconsideration on the same day that they received the decision.

“This is a long process. If the Office of the State Prosecutor would still deny our motion, we could still go to the Secretary of Justice,” he said.

Britanico said that he is bent on fighting for his son’s case until the end.

“Bata ko nga wala sala ang Ila nga ginpatay. He has a wife and two young kids. I’m a lawyer. I was also a former congressman. And I would make sure that he gets justice,” he added.

Among those charged for the murder of Britanico and suspected drug personality Alain Muller on Jan. 19, 2020 were Colonel Martin Defensor, Police Regional Office (PRO)-6’s third highest ranking official and five other non-commissioned officers.

Defensor, current PRO-6 deputy regional director for operations, was Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) director when the incident happened.

Britanico has stood pat on his claims that Defensor was an accessory to the death of his son Delfin.

Police Corporal Joseph Andrew Joven, Master Sergeant Vernie Escorial, Staff Sergeant Michael De Felipe, Staff Sergeant Ricardo Morante, and Staff Sergeant Freddie Libo-on were charged for the complex crime of robbery with homicide.

In the case of Muller, Defensor was charged with murder, along with the five other cops, who were implicated in Delfin’s killing.

The charges stemmed from two separate shooting incidents in Iloilo City.

Muller, a call center worker and a drug surrenderer, was peppered with bullets 12 pm on Jan. 19 in Locsin Street, Barangay Cuartero, Jaro district.

Thirty minutes later, the 36-year-old Britanico of Mirasol Subdivision, Dicen Street, La Paz was shot dead at Barangay Nabitasan, La Paz.

Police initially handled the case until Britanico’s family sought the help of the NBI.

But lately, the Britanico family dissociated from the NBI and filed the case against the police in July 2021.

WELCOME DECISION 

While the Britanico camp was a bit subdued over the development, Defensor said Monday that he was “very happy to learn about that decision.”

“For almost one year, I always believed na ganun talaga ang mangyayari sa case,” he said.

More than himself, Defensor said he has been more concerned about his family.

“When we were accused, my father and mother were still alive. They died without knowing that our names were cleared. So, I’m thankful,” he said.

But Defensor said that he was only verbally informed of the matter and has yet to receive the copy of the OSP decision.