BY JOSEPH PEDRAJAS
The Quezon City Police District District (QCPD) has filed criminal charges against seven individuals, including a high-ranking official and some employees of the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH), in connection with the killing of the hospital’s head, Dr. Roland Cortez, and his driver.
Cortez and driver Ernesto Dela Cruz were shot dead by two motorcycle-riding gunmen inside their vehicle at the corner of Cassanova Drive and Tandang Sora Ave. in the morning of July 27.
In a press conference on Tuesday, QCPD investigation head Maj. Elmer Monsalve said a ranking NCMH official and her bodyguard, two wanted persons, and several others were involved in their daring slay.
Monsalve said they were able to identify the suspects through the getaway vehicle used by the motorcycle-riding gunmen and through interviews with NCHM personnel.
The QCPD said they were eyeing Cortez’ fight against corruption inside the institution as the motive behind his killing.
“Ang lumalabas na motibo dito ay ‘yung trabaho ni Dr. Cortez to fight corruption sa National Center for Mental Health. ‘Yung kanyang reform na talagang inimplement n’ya… that is food, shelter, clothing and medication para sa mga patients,” Monsalve said.
“Dahil doon sa reform na ‘yun, meron s’yang nakita na mga anomaly at doon na na-expose ‘yung mga anomaly at nagkaroon ng imbestigasyon ‘yung NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) Anti-Graft Division, hanggang sa mga nasampahan ng kaso,” he added.
In 2019, Cortez reportedly filed a complaint against 14 individuals for graft and malversation.
“Hanggang sa nagsimula na magkaroon ng pagbabanta. Hanggang sa nagkaroon tayo ng witness mismo doon sa loob ng NCMH na ito, sila nagkunstabahan,” Monsalve added.
QCPD head Brig. Gen. Ronnie Montejo said that they already filed murder and conspiracy to commit murder charges against the suspects at the city’s prosecutor’s office. They are still waiting for resolution before launching an operation to arrest the suspects.
Monsalve added that aside from the seven, they are still identifying more suspects “who might be involved in the conspiring to commit murder.”
THE MASTERMIND
In a link diagram of the suspects presented before the media, the QCPD tagged a ranking NCMH official as a mastermind behind Cortez’ killing.
According to Metro Manila police chief Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas, police came up with the identification of the mastermind and the other suspects based on “affidavits, testimonies and declaration” of several individuals.
Aside from that, the QPCD added, they launched a probe after identifying the owner of the getaway vehicle used by one of the gunmen.
Police said that during their interview, the owner of the getaway vehicle, who also has pending warrants of arrest for drugs and frustrated murder charges, has implicated three others for hiding the vehicle.
The QCPD said one of the gunmen was the bodyguard of the mastermind or the ranking NCMH official.
“Before the incident, itong tatlong ito nakita na kausap [ng ranking NCMH official],” Monsalve said, referring to the two gunmen and the owner of the getaway vehicle.
Police said that of the seven suspects, one has already been arrested as he has a pending warrant of arrest for murder. He is identified as Albert Eugenio. (Joseph Pedrajas)
