02 November 2005
In less than a month: NBI solves slay of local doctor
THE National Bureau of Investigation added another feather to its cap in the province of Pangasinan when it solved the daring ambush-slay of a doctor in Calasiao town in the morning of Sept. 20 after arresting the hitman, his look-out and the person who contracted them for the job in one fell swoop.
Lawyer Jose Doloiras, agent-in-charge of the NBI in Dagupan City Wednesday announced the solution of the murder of Dr. Cerdan Lopez, 49, who was shot and killed in front of his wife, Dr. Amy Lopez, while the two were aboard a black Ford Escape SUV that stopped at a traffic intersection in Calasiao town.
The slaying of Lopez, who served at one time with the Region I Medical Center, was one of the more high-profile cases in Pangasinan ever handled by the NBI. It was solved in less than a month with the help of some witnesses who volunteered valuable information.
Lopez died while being operated on at the Villaflor Hospital but before he expired he was able to identify his in-laws as the probable masterminds before doctors who operated on him for several bullet wounds in different parts of his body.
The big break was scored by NBI agents when they arrested Renato Diaz, alias “Edu” of barangay Lucao, Dagupan City who had an alias warrant of arrest for frustrated murder before the sala of Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Emma Torio of Branch 41 in Dagupan City last Oct. 15.
Diaz confessed that he acted as look-out along with one Hendrix Fernandez when Lopez was shot dead by their companion Christopher Gemino, 23, of barangay Bagong Pag-asa, San Jacinto. The latter is now also in NBI custody after surrendering voluntarily.
At his NBI detention cell, Gemino said he was recruited by Diaz for the job. He said he did not know the victim but could not refuse the job offered by Diaz as he feared for his life.
Named by Diaz as the one who contacted him for the job was a certain Joselito Gajo, alias “Joey”, a member of the Public Order and Safety Office (POSO) in Dagupan City, who was also arrested, but who had volunteered to turn state witness.
Doloiras said it was Gajo who Dr. Cirilo Galvez, Jr. had contacted to find hired killers who will eliminate the victim, his brother-in-law. Galvez’ co-masterminds were his father, Cirilo Galvez, Sr. and his own daughter Chiarina Galvez, whom the former sent to hand over the contract money of P50,000 to Gajo in front of the Philippine National Bank in Lingayen.
The plan to kill Lopez was hatched in May this year but it was only on Sept. 20 that the same was executed when he and his wife were spotted at the Pangasinan Regency Hotel in Calasiao. He was shot in his car as he slowed down near the Chowking highway intersection after coming out from the hotel with his wife.
Of the P50,000 given to Gajo, an initial P15,000 was given to Diaz for his surveillance and mobilization expenses and the balance of P35,000 was handed after the execution of the job.
The NBI said that after the killing, Gajo, Geminiano, Fernandez and Diaz met at the residence of Diaz in Lucao, where they boastfully narrated how they killed Lopez. Gemino said as the hit man, he was given a share of P12,000.
Doloiras told newsmen that they were able to establish that the killing stemmed more from family problem, which could either be a land dispute or family relationship but added it is the victim’s wife, Dr. Amy Lopez, who can really say what was behind the crime.
Lawyer Jose Doloiras, agent-in-charge of the NBI in Dagupan City Wednesday announced the solution of the murder of Dr. Cerdan Lopez, 49, who was shot and killed in front of his wife, Dr. Amy Lopez, while the two were aboard a black Ford Escape SUV that stopped at a traffic intersection in Calasiao town.
The slaying of Lopez, who served at one time with the Region I Medical Center, was one of the more high-profile cases in Pangasinan ever handled by the NBI. It was solved in less than a month with the help of some witnesses who volunteered valuable information.
Lopez died while being operated on at the Villaflor Hospital but before he expired he was able to identify his in-laws as the probable masterminds before doctors who operated on him for several bullet wounds in different parts of his body.
The big break was scored by NBI agents when they arrested Renato Diaz, alias “Edu” of barangay Lucao, Dagupan City who had an alias warrant of arrest for frustrated murder before the sala of Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Emma Torio of Branch 41 in Dagupan City last Oct. 15.
Diaz confessed that he acted as look-out along with one Hendrix Fernandez when Lopez was shot dead by their companion Christopher Gemino, 23, of barangay Bagong Pag-asa, San Jacinto. The latter is now also in NBI custody after surrendering voluntarily.
At his NBI detention cell, Gemino said he was recruited by Diaz for the job. He said he did not know the victim but could not refuse the job offered by Diaz as he feared for his life.
Named by Diaz as the one who contacted him for the job was a certain Joselito Gajo, alias “Joey”, a member of the Public Order and Safety Office (POSO) in Dagupan City, who was also arrested, but who had volunteered to turn state witness.
Doloiras said it was Gajo who Dr. Cirilo Galvez, Jr. had contacted to find hired killers who will eliminate the victim, his brother-in-law. Galvez’ co-masterminds were his father, Cirilo Galvez, Sr. and his own daughter Chiarina Galvez, whom the former sent to hand over the contract money of P50,000 to Gajo in front of the Philippine National Bank in Lingayen.
The plan to kill Lopez was hatched in May this year but it was only on Sept. 20 that the same was executed when he and his wife were spotted at the Pangasinan Regency Hotel in Calasiao. He was shot in his car as he slowed down near the Chowking highway intersection after coming out from the hotel with his wife.
Of the P50,000 given to Gajo, an initial P15,000 was given to Diaz for his surveillance and mobilization expenses and the balance of P35,000 was handed after the execution of the job.
The NBI said that after the killing, Gajo, Geminiano, Fernandez and Diaz met at the residence of Diaz in Lucao, where they boastfully narrated how they killed Lopez. Gemino said as the hit man, he was given a share of P12,000.
Doloiras told newsmen that they were able to establish that the killing stemmed more from family problem, which could either be a land dispute or family relationship but added it is the victim’s wife, Dr. Amy Lopez, who can really say what was behind the crime.
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What an irresponsible piece!!! The case has not been tried but it has been "solved"?!? What's the point of going to court then? The above statements are allegations, not facts. Be careful of your libelous entry! It is so easy to defame a person but you are compromising your own credibility by doing so. The Galvezes should be considered innocent until it can be proved that they are guilty. If you are accused of a crime, you should always have the right to defend yourself. Nobody has the right to condemn you for something you have not done.
The journalist and author Janet Malcolm wrote in her book The Journalist and the Murderer:
"Every journalist who is not too stupid or too full of himself to notice what is going on knows that what he does is morally indefensible. He is a kind of confidence man, preying on people's vanity, ignorance or loneliness, gaining their trust and betraying them without remorse."
The journalist and author Janet Malcolm wrote in her book The Journalist and the Murderer:
"Every journalist who is not too stupid or too full of himself to notice what is going on knows that what he does is morally indefensible. He is a kind of confidence man, preying on people's vanity, ignorance or loneliness, gaining their trust and betraying them without remorse."
# posted by 
: 11/13/2005 04:21:00 PM
: 11/13/2005 04:21:00 PM
Liberal bias, agendas, distortions and erroneous reporting in the mainstream media!
You did not give the Galvez Family the benefit of the doubt. Do not label them masterminds if you have not proven it. Publishing of the accusations as a fact and without proper defense argumentation constitute presumption of guilt. It's not fair to the Galvez Family.
Although your headline sounds catchy and it definitely makes the NBI "look good", you are damaging another family's reputation. "Innocent until proven guilty.." is not only a legal principle but a moral one as well. Do not compromise morality for the sake of a good story.
One would much rather that twenty guilty persons should escape the punishment of death than that one innocent person should be condemned by the public and suffer!
You did not give the Galvez Family the benefit of the doubt. Do not label them masterminds if you have not proven it. Publishing of the accusations as a fact and without proper defense argumentation constitute presumption of guilt. It's not fair to the Galvez Family.
Although your headline sounds catchy and it definitely makes the NBI "look good", you are damaging another family's reputation. "Innocent until proven guilty.." is not only a legal principle but a moral one as well. Do not compromise morality for the sake of a good story.
One would much rather that twenty guilty persons should escape the punishment of death than that one innocent person should be condemned by the public and suffer!
# posted by : 11/13/2005 05:04:00 PM
: 11/13/2005 05:04:00 PM
I personally know the Galvezes and it is unlikely that they committed such crime. They are hardworking and they are honest people. Do a background check on the victim and you'll see how shady his personality is. It could have been the people he swindled.
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# posted by : 12/11/2005 06:15:00 AM
: 12/11/2005 06:15:00 AM << Home
