ILOILO – The police station of Zarraga town insisted that the man they arrested in Negros Occidental last week and brought here was indeed charged with murder two decades ago.
The arrest was not a case of mistaken identity, stressed Police Major Aldren Lamera, Zarraga police chief.
An arrest warrant was issued against Christian Parcia, 45, of Barangay Salvation, Murcia, Negros Occidental, said Lamera.
On March 18 at around 9 a.m., Zarraga police operatives arrested Parcia in his house in Murcia through an arrest warrant issued by then Judge Tito Gustilo of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 23 for the crime of murder.
“We asked him if sya si Christian Parcia kag nag huo man, amo to nga gindakop namon,” Lamera said.
A day after Parcia’s arrest, however, family members from Murcia went to Zarraga and insisted that he has no pending case and he was arrested mistakenly.
Parcia was eventually released – but for some strange reasons.
“We learned nga may napatay sya 20 years ago kag ginpapalagyo sang iya tiyo sa Negros. Uncle nya mismo sa Bangga Bante naghambal nga na involves sya sa murder case pero ang complainant patay na kag ang witness indi na mag-confirm nga amo na ang suspect kay tigulang na sya,” Lamera told Panay News.
The police presented the suspect to RTC Branch 23 under Judge Emerald Requiña Contreras where the suspect was arraigned.
However, due to lack witnesses and the complainant already dead, Contreras reportedly released Parcia saying that it was a case of mistaken identity since the witness refused to confirm that he was the suspect./PN
