pesowin Acop scolds slain Pampanga brgy captain’s wife for not allowing autopsy

Antipolo 2nd District Rep. Romeo Acop speaks during one of the House hearings in this photo taken on May 17, 2023. (Photo from a video posted on the Facebook page of the House of Representatives)

MANILA, Philippines — The wife of a slain barangay captain from Arayat town in Pampanga — who is an elected official herself — was scolded for not allowing an autopsy and for claiming that justice is unattainable in the country.

This instance happened at the hearing of the House of Representatives’ committee on public order and safety on Monday.

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Antipolo 2nd District Rep. Romeo Acop asked Police Cpl. Marco Polo Ramirez who was handling the case of former Laquios barangay captain Norberto “Mel” Lumbang and how the investigation was conducted.

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Lumbang was killed last August 11, 2024 inside the barangay hall of Laquios in Pampanga.

When Acop quizzed the investigator if he recovered the M16 bullet slugs from Lumbang’s body, Ramirez replied that they were not able to do so as the victim’s wife, Arayat Councilor Che Lumbang, signed a waiver.

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“Therefore, meron pong nahulog na mga basyo ng bala, at may nakuha rin po siguro na bullet heads ng M16, tama?” Acop asked.

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(Therefore, there were bullet casings which fell, and you were also able to recover bullet heads from the M16 [rifle], correct?)

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“Fired cartridge lang (only) po,” Ramirez replied.

“Wala ‘yung bullet heads sa katawan ni k’wan (Lumbang)?  Wala kayong nakuha doon sa katawan ni late barangay captain, ‘yung slugs?” Acop asked again.

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(You did not recover any bullet heads from Lumbang’s body? There were no slugs inside the body of the late barangay captain’s body?)

“Bakit, hindi nyo pina-autopsy ‘yung katawan?  ‘Di ba ‘pag namatay sa firearm, pagbaril, mandatory ‘yung autopsy ng katawan?” the lawmaker wanted to know.

(Why didn’t you do an autopsy on the body? Isn’t it that when someone dies from a gun attack, an autopsy is mandatory?)

“Wala po, Mr. Chair […]. Nag-execute po ng waiver for the conduct of the autopsy po ‘yung asawa po, saka ‘yung anak po ng biktima,” the police officer said.

(There was none, Mr. Chair […] The wife and the offspring of the victim executed a waiver for the conduct of the autopsy.)

Acop then turned to Councilor Lumbang, who was present in the hearing, to ask if this is true.

The Arayat council member then said that she did this because she felt that they would not be able to attain justice for her husband.

“Opo, Mr. Chair […] dahil alam naman po namin na sa bayan po ng Arayat, kahit na may mga ganyan po na proseso, wala po nakukuhang hustisya, Mr. Chair,” Councilor Lumbang claimed.

(Yes Mr. Chair […] because we know in our hometown of Arayat, even if there are processes like that, we will not get any justice, Mr. Chair.)

“Alam naman po namin na wala pong nakukuhang hustisya po sa ganyan na pangyayari,” she told Acop.

(We know that there would be no justice for these kinds of incidents.)

“Ay kung kayo po mismo ay opisyal ng ating gubyerno, kayo na mismo ang nagsasabi na walang nakukuhang hustisya sa gubyerno, hindi po ba dapat mag-resign kayo dahil hindi po kayo naniniwala sa ating gubyerno?” Acop fired back.

(If you yourself, an official of our government, say that you will not get justice from the government, shouldn’t you resign from your post because you do not believe in it?)

“Mr. Chair, kami po naniniwala po sa ganyan na pangyayari kaya nga po nandito ako (sa House) para ilaban po ‘yung kaso ni Mel,” Councilor Lumbang claimed.

(Mr. Chair, we believe in injustice that’s why we are here at this House hearing to fight for Mel’s case.)

Acop, a former police general who used to head the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, explained that the recovery of the slugs or bullet heads would have a big impact on the investigation.

“Kasi, para ipaalam ko po sa inyo, Konsehala, importante po na makuha ng kapulisan ‘yong cartridge saka ‘yong slug ng bala, para ma-identify kung ano talaga ‘yung baril na ginamit doon sa pagpatay sa inyong nasirang asawa,” the lawmaker stressed.

(Just to inform you, Councilor, it is important for the police to get the cartridge and the slug of the bullet to be able to identify which firearm was really used to kill your late husband.)

“Kaya gano’n po ‘yung aking pagtatanong kasi ‘yun po ‘yung talagang protocol ng pag-iimbestiga po sa kasong mga ganito,” Acop pointed out.

(That’s why I pursued this line of questioning because it is really part of the protocol for investigating cases like these.)

“Kung kayo po mismo hindi kayo naniniwala na kayo po’y makakakamit ng hustisya, eh bakit po kayo nandito ngayong araw na ito? Ang tagal na po ng nangyari,” he wondered.

(If you yourself would not believe that you can attain justice, why are you still here today? This happened a long time ago.)

Reports said that Lumbang, 57, was inside the village hall when he was shot several times by a man carrying an infant M16 rifle.

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The barangay captain was planning to run for vice mayor of Arayat in the 2025 midterm elections.

READ: Village chief shot dead in Pampanga

Lumbang’s death was one of the incidents mentioned by House Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr. in a privilege speech last November 2024.

Gonzales called on his colleagues to investigate the recent spate of killings and violence in Pampanga.

FPJ Panday Bayanihan president Brian Poe Llamanzares cited its impact on the country’s jobs situation which is among the top concerns of young people today.

The lawmakers represents the third district of the province.

According to the House official, senseless killings have happened in Pampanga from April 30, 2022 up to November 12, 2024 — most of which remain unresolved.

READ: Gonzales seeks probe into spate of killings, violence hounding Pampanga 

Just this January 4, Gonzales appealed to the Philippine National Police (PNP) to increase police presence in Pampanga, particularly in his district, after another barangay official — this time from San Fernando City — received death threats.

The House member said he reported to PNP chief Gen. Rommel Marbil the death threat to Barangay San Agustin Captain Amando Santos.

READ: PNP urged to increase presence in Pampanga amid threats to officials 

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While he thanked the PNP for immediately taking actionpesowin, Gonzales said increased police visibility and patrols in his district and other parts of Pampanga would deter violence, especially in view of the coming midterm elections.

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