MANILA (UPDATED) —Three cops involved in the death of a Spanish national in a 2020 anti-drug operation in Siargao have surrendered to authorities, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said Wednesday.

In a press statement, the DOJ said the cops were presented to Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla on February 9, 2023, accompanied by Philippine National Police (PNP) Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) chief Police Brigadier General Romeo Caramat, Jr.

The 3 cops — Police Captain Wise Vicente Panuelos and Police Sergeants Ronel Pazo and Nido Boy Cortes — are facing murder and planting of evidence charges before a court in Dapa, Surigao del Norte over the killing of Diego Bello Lafuente in a police operation on January 8, 2020.

Lafuente was a Spanish businessman and surfer based in Siargao whom authorities tagged as supposedly the number 1 drug personality in the CARAGA region.

Police claimed he resisted arrest, pulled out a gun and was killed, sustaining several gunshot wounds.

A .45 caliber pistol and more than 8 grams of cocaine were allegedly recovered from him.

Panuelos was then the chief of police of the General Luna Municipal Police Station in Surigao del Norte while Pazo and Cortes came from the same unit.

But a subsequent investigation by the National Bureau of Investigation, affirmed by a DOJ panel of prosecutors, found that there was no shootout.

While there were no eyewitnesses in Lafuente’s killing, prosecutors cited the SOCO report and forensic results disproving police’s claim of a shootout.

This includes the placement of a fired cartridge and the crossmatching of the cartridge with the gun used by one of the police officers.

“The physical evidence shows that the placement of the fired cartridge cases (FCC) from the service firearms (9mm) of PCapt. Panuelos and PSgt. Cortes and the FCCs from the alleged firearm (Cal. 45) of Diego Lafuente were in close distance with each other, found in a triangular area. If indeed there was a shootout, the placement of the FCCs should be in opposite sides,” a March 3, 2022 DOJ press briefer announcing the indictment of the 3 cops said.

“Moreover, the investigation shows that after Diego Lafuente jumped over the perimeter wall, he was shot by PSgt. Cortes as evidenced by a 9mm FCC found underneath the ground located near the area where Diego Lafuente was lying. The crossmatching examination revealed that the 9mm FCC matched with and was fired from the firearm of PSgt. Cortes,” it added.

With the surrender of the 3 cops, the murder and planting of evidence charges against them can now be revived, according to the DOJ.

Remulla considered the surrender of the cops a welcome development but he promised the cops fair treatment in the case.

“Nakabatay ang desisyon ng prosecutor sa ebidensya,” he said.

The death of Lafuente generated interest not only from the Spanish government but also from the European union.

Lafuente is the first reported case of a European killed in the drug war of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

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