ANGELES CITY – The Department of Justice (DOJ) has reportedly “flipped flopped” in determining probable cause to pin down the police officer accused of the 2006 ambush of Masantol Mayor Peter Flores resulting to the death of his bodyguard.
This was disclosed by Atty. Arnel Santos, legal counsel of Supt. Jorge Antonio Perez Bustos, who was tagged as the alleged mastermind in the ambush of Flores resulting to the death of his security detail, SPO4 Nicanor Yabut. Flores and his driver were hurt.
Santos said he was surprised by the issuance of the warrant of arrest against Bustos although the legal counsel has yet to receive a copy of the order.
Santos questioned the order of then acting DOJ Secretary Agnes Devanadera issued on October 15, 2009, allowing the filing of the charges against Bustos who was then a police chief inspector at the time of the ambush.
In a resolution dated March 7, 2007, then DOJ Secretary Raul Gonzales directed the provincial prosecutor of Pampanga to cause the dismissal of all the cases against Bustos and to withdraw the information filed against him.
He added in the same resolution that “no motion for reconsideration from any party will be entertained.”
But Devanadera’s order countered the “no motion for reconsideration” issued by Gonzales.
Santos questioned the timing of Devanadera’s order and issuance of the warrant of arrest against Bustos because Flores’ rival for re-election is Vice Mayor Jay Bustos, brother of the Supt. Bustos.
The camp of Bustos said the DOJ revived the case against Supt. Bustos when Vice Mayor Bustos was about to file his certificate of candidacy for mayor last November.
“It is politically motivated because the case against the Bustos came out during elections,” they said.
They added that the legal counsel of Flores filed a motion for reconsideration three times before the DOJ but was denied.
“Proof that Bustos was exonerated was that he was even promoted to superintendent after the ambush,” the Bustos camp said.
They also noted that supposed killers who implicated Bustos recanted their testimonies and alleged they were tortured until they pinpointed Bustos as the mastermind.
Residents said Vice Mayor Bustos is leading in the survey for mayor and “this may be a dirty tactic to derail his victory against Flores.”
This was disclosed by Atty. Arnel Santos, legal counsel of Supt. Jorge Antonio Perez Bustos, who was tagged as the alleged mastermind in the ambush of Flores resulting to the death of his security detail, SPO4 Nicanor Yabut. Flores and his driver were hurt.
Santos said he was surprised by the issuance of the warrant of arrest against Bustos although the legal counsel has yet to receive a copy of the order.
Santos questioned the order of then acting DOJ Secretary Agnes Devanadera issued on October 15, 2009, allowing the filing of the charges against Bustos who was then a police chief inspector at the time of the ambush.
In a resolution dated March 7, 2007, then DOJ Secretary Raul Gonzales directed the provincial prosecutor of Pampanga to cause the dismissal of all the cases against Bustos and to withdraw the information filed against him.
He added in the same resolution that “no motion for reconsideration from any party will be entertained.”
But Devanadera’s order countered the “no motion for reconsideration” issued by Gonzales.
Santos questioned the timing of Devanadera’s order and issuance of the warrant of arrest against Bustos because Flores’ rival for re-election is Vice Mayor Jay Bustos, brother of the Supt. Bustos.
The camp of Bustos said the DOJ revived the case against Supt. Bustos when Vice Mayor Bustos was about to file his certificate of candidacy for mayor last November.
“It is politically motivated because the case against the Bustos came out during elections,” they said.
They added that the legal counsel of Flores filed a motion for reconsideration three times before the DOJ but was denied.
“Proof that Bustos was exonerated was that he was even promoted to superintendent after the ambush,” the Bustos camp said.
They also noted that supposed killers who implicated Bustos recanted their testimonies and alleged they were tortured until they pinpointed Bustos as the mastermind.
Residents said Vice Mayor Bustos is leading in the survey for mayor and “this may be a dirty tactic to derail his victory against Flores.”
