AFP readies court martial for Army officials in Davao model slay

THE military is readying court martial proceedings against an Army general and a colonel allegedly involved in the murder of a businesswoman-model in Davao City last month, according to Army chief Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr..

Brig. Gen. Jesus Durante III and Col. Michael Licyayo will also be taken under the Army’s custody while awaiting the results of a military investigation against them, said Brawner.

“We have a process under the military system. They will also be charged under the military justice system,” he said, referring to Durante and Licyayo, who were relieved from their posts as commander and vice commander of the Army’s 1001st Infantry Brigade in Davao de Oro.

Criminal raps

Police on Wednesday filed charges of murder and obstruction of justice against the two Army officials along with several other suspects involved in  the killing of Yvonette Chua Plaza last December 30.

Durante was tagged as the one who planned Plaza’s murder, which police probers said was a crime of passion.

Police said Durante and Plaza have intimate ties and jealousy could have triggered the killing.

Brawner said the Army officers and other personnel involved in the crime will also face court martial proceeding apart from the criminal raps slapped against them in a civilian court.

“There will be a court martial,” he said.

Durante, who once served as commander of the Presidential Security Group during the time of President Rodrigo Duterte, was fingered as the mastermind behind the killing.

Also charged were 1001st Brigade soldiers identified as Staff Sergeant Gilbert Plaza, Sergeant Delfin Llaranas Sialsa Jr; Corporal Adrian Cachero; Privates First Class Rolly Cabal and Romar Longakit, helper Noel Japitan, and a certain Jr.

An additional case of obstruction of justice was filed against Durante, Licyayo and Plazas, and theft against Sialsa and Cachero.

A certain alias “Master Sergeant”, described as an escort of Durante, was also charged with obstruction of justice.

Military probe

Army spokesman Col. Xerxes Trinidad said an Army Board of Inquiry conducted a parallel investigation against the officers. 

The result will be known within the week, Trinidad added, but hinted that the board found initial proof to pursue administrative charges against the suspects.

“The Provost Marshall and the Staff Judge Advocate of the Army are studying the creation or the establishment of a general court martial,” he noted.

Asked what specific charges will be pursued against Durante and Licyayo before the general court martial, Trinidad said, “it’s now being discussed by the different staff.”

“It’s more of administrative case, separate from the criminal charges filed against the involved officers and enlisted personnel.”

Brawner has directed both Army officers to report in Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio.

They are not yet detained but will be put behind bars once the court martial proceedings start, Trinidad said.

Photo credit: Philippine News Agency