JAYLO, 14 OTHERS FACE MURDER RAPS

RETIRED police Capt. Reynaldo H. Jaylo, head of the Presidential Task Force
on Anti-Illegal Recruitment, and 14 of his men are facing charges of
multiple murder and planting of evidence, all non-bailable offense
punishable by death, in connection with the gunslaying of two suspected
drug dealers and a civilian agent in Binondo, Manila last January 9.

In an information sheet filed before the Department of Justice last Friday,
the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group
said the case was based on complaints filed by Michelle C. Dino and Ma.
Corazon S. Esguerra, the sister and wife, respectively, of slain suspects
Federico Dino and Enrique P. Esguerra.

The third victim was identified as Richard G. Elnar, said to be a
confidential agent of PDEA's Task Force Hunter which Jaylo headed prior to
his appointment by President Macapagal-Arroyo as anti-illegal recruitment czar.

The CIDG said it has at least 11 witnesses against Jaylo and his men.

Jaylo claims the two suspects were killed in a shootout that also left
Elnar dead.

However, the CIDG said that Richard Penalosa, one of the TF Hunter agents
who figured in the operation, came out in the open last July 7 to testify
that no shootout occurred. He claimed that Elnar was "sacrificed" to make
it appear that there was a shootout.

In his sworn affidavit, Penalosa claimed that it was he who informed Jaylo
that Dino, who was one of their targets, was spotted gambling in Calavite
St., La Loma, QC on January 8.

Jaylo immediately ordered an operation that resulted in Dino's arrest along
with Esguerra.

Penalosa claimed that no drugs were found when they searched Dino's Toyota
Hi-Lux van. A day after Dino's arrest, Jaylo called him up and asked him to
proceed to their office at the Benigno Aquino Stadium in Adriatico, Manila.

At the office, he saw Jaylo conversing with a number of PDEA civilian
agents, including Elnar. He added that Jaylo told him to wait for their
evidence which was on its way.

Penalosa claimed that not long after, Jaylo took a cal. .38 revolver from
agent Bob Garcia and asked Elnar if he knew how to fire a gun. "Paputukin
mo nga ito, luma na kasi para masubukan natin kung puputok pa," Penalosa
quoted Jaylo as telling Elnar.

Elnar took the gun and fired two shots in the air. After that, Jaylo
retrieved the revolver from Elnar and told him, "Okay. Mahusay ka pala."

Penalosa, in his affidavit, said it was then that he entertained the idea
that Elnar would be used as a "sacrifice" for their impending operation.

The witness claimed that agent Garcia later arrived and gave Jaylo a bag
containing marked money and shabu.

Penalosa said that apart from him and Jaylo, the other agents who were with
them were Edgardo M. Castro, Cecilio A. Garcia, Octavio V. Ansay, Joseph
Bernabe, Graciano J. Concepcion, Toto Magsino, Cris Magsino, Adonis
Amarante, Ariel Padua, Pete Manalaysay, Alex Soriano and several John and
Peter Does. Insp. Hernando Tiongson was also included in the information sheet.

Penalosa said he, Jaylo and three other agents rode in Dino's vehicle while
Esguerra was brought to a Mitsubishi Adventure with license plate SFD-984
which he said was an alleged stolen vehicle. Elnar rode in the car of Magsino.

Penalosa claimed as soon as their convoy stopped on a bridge along Padilla
St. in Binondo at around 2:15 a.m. on January 9, Jaylo, Castro and Bernabe
alighted from the Hi-Lux leaving behind Dino.

The Adventure stopped behind the Hi-Lux and two agents he identified as
Amarante and Soriano alighted leaving Esguerra behind.

Penalosa said that he later saw Jaylo going to the driver's seat of the
Hi-Lux where he allegedly shot Dino who was seated at the front while
Castro and Bernabe shot Esguerra.

Not long after, Penalosa said that Magsino instructed Elnar to carry the
two bodies.

"However, upon reaching the cadaver of Esguerra, Elnar was also shot by CA
Bob Garcia," he said.

In an interview, Jaylo said he was ready to face the charges against him
but stressed that "the natural flow of the investigation (should) go
unhampered."

"Dino is a known cop killer. We don't want to kill people but we don't want
to get killed," he added.

The suspect, he said, had guns. "That's on record."

He said Penalosa had a grudge against him because he was sacked as a member
of Task Force Hunter.