DOJ okays murder charges versus Sandra Cam, 6 others

WARRANTS of arrest are expected to be issued soon against Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) director and former ‘Juetenggate’ whistleblower, Sandra M. Cam, her son and five of their accomplices, after the Department of Justice approved the filing of murder and frustrated murder cases against them for the 2019 broad daylight assassination in Manila of Batuan, Masbate vice mayor, Charlie D. Yuson III.

Aside for murder, Cam and her group were also accused of frustrated murder for the failed killing of one of Yuson’s companions at the time, Alberto “Pao-pao” Y. Alforte IV.

The DOJ resolution was based on the investigation conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on the order of DOJ secretary, Menardo I. Guevarra.

Although approved as far back as February 22, 2021, the resolution was only released last April 16, 2021, a copy of which was furnished to Pinoy Exposé.

The family of Yuson sought the intervention of the DOJ and the NBI in the case as they distrusted the Manila Police District (MPD), then under, P/BGen. Vicente Danao, to conduct an impartial investigation and give justice to the victims.

Aside from Cam and her son, Marco Martin, also ordered to be charged for the murder of Yuson and the failed murder of Alforte IV, are: Nelson Reformoso Cambaya, Batuan councilor who also briefly served as town mayor;

Junel Reyes “Bunso” Gomez; Bradford Fuerte Solis; Juanito Bustamante de Luna; and, Rigor Magallanes Dela Cruz, the suspected gunmen who carried out the attack that happened at an eatery along Vicente Cruz St., Sampaloc, Manila, around 8:40 am, on October 9, 2019.

They were apprehended by the MPD– by chance– several minutes after the incident while trying to make good their escape on board a silver-gray Nissan van (ACM 8804) along Quirino Avenue in Manila.

The van was flagged down for a traffic violation by elements of the MPD’s Station 5. In the course of inspection, the police found several firearms inside the van, prompting them to bring the suspects to their headquarters for further investigation.

As the attack on Yuson is already all over the news, other policemen investigating the case managed to link the van and its occupants to the incident based on testimonies from witnesses who managed to write down the van’s plate number.

When brought to the MPD’s main headquarters along UN Avenue, several witnesses again stepped forward and positively identified them as the gunmen who attacked and killed Yuson.

Complainants in the case are the NBI’s Investigation Service under deputy director, Atty. Vicente de Guzman III; the NBI’s Death Investigation Division (DID) thru Agent Zulikha Marie Conales-Degamo; Lalaine A. Yuson, widow of Charlie Yuson IV, his brother, Charlie Yuson Jr., and, Rufino A. Alforte, father of Alberto Alforte 1V.

Boosting the NBI’s information against the suspects are the evidence it gathered as well as testimonies from over a dozen witnesses.

‘No other suspect but Cam’

The preliminary investigation begun on March 9, 2020, before the nationwide ‘lockdown’ due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the investigation did not substantially moved until November 18, 2020, when both sides held another “clarificatory hearing.”

Based on the resolution, the slain Yuson had repeatedly told his wife, Lalaine, that if he dies, “it will only be respondent Sandra Cam who has the motive do so.” Lalaine, who went back to Batuan ahead of her husband on October 8, 2019, rushed back to Manila the next day on hearing the news that he had just been killed.

The younger Alforte, in his narrative, said that after he was also hit by bullets and seeing that he was still alive, the group of Gomez approached him and fired several more rounds on him that made him lost consciousness.

He added that in the runup to the 2019 midterm polls, there had been at least three failed attempts on the life of Yuson and his son, Batuan mayor, Charmax Jan Yuson, the incumbent mayor of Batuan, allegedly instigated by the camp of Cam.

On the other hand, the Nissan van used by the suspects in the killing of Yuson, turned out to be owned by Cambaya, a close ally of Cam.

The NBI had also verified the vehicle was reported “stolen” from its original owner in 2017 and that the license attached to it, ACM 8804, also belonged to a 2016 Savanah White Mitsubishi Montero.

‘Manufactured’ case by CIDG dismissed.

Months before the killing of the elder Yuson in Manila, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police (PNP), raided the Yuson’s beach resort in Batuan and the residence of Mayor Charmax where they allegedly found an assortment of firearms and explosives.

The link between Cam and the CIDG’s raid was confirmed by one of Cam’s former employees, Amelita B. Albiola.

In her testimony before the DOJ panel, Albiola recalled Cam telling them that she (Cam) already made an “arrangement” with the CIDG and the PNP commands in Bicol for the “planting of firearms, grenades and shabu” at the resort owned by the Yusons.

 

The raid dutifully occurred last February 13, 2019 that resulted to the filing of illegal arms and explosives possessions charges against Mayor Charmax and his father, Vice Mayor Charlie. This prompted Charmax to go into hiding, insisting that he would be killed as soon as he ends up in the hands of the police.

In her defense, Cam described Albiola as a “disgruntled former employee” who may have “harbored ill will” against her and her family.

Cambaya removed as Batuan mayor

With Mayor Charmax in hiding while appealing the case and his father, Charlie, already dead, Cambaya then assumed the mayoralty post, being the elected first councilor of the town.

Despite also being in hiding, Charmax trounced Cam’ son, Marco Martin during the 2019 mayoralty race.

Last June 10, 2020, the Masbate Regional Trial Court affirmed the finality of its dismissal of the cases filed by the CIDG against the Yusons, after learning that the officer involved, P/Major Dave Mahilum, resorted to “forum shopping” in trying to secure a search warrant by applying in several courts in Metro Manila.

In dismissing the cases, Honorable Judge Arturo Clemente Revil said the evidence against the Yusons were “fruits of the poisoned tree.”

The court also reminded the PNP that the pending warrant of arrest against Charmax arising from the charges filed by the CIDG and seconded by Masbate provincial prosecutor Jeremias Mapula, has also been recalled and invalidated “and need no longer be enforced by the police authorities.”

Cambaya was evicted from the mayor’s office and the post returned to Charmax last June 23, 2020, on the order of Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) secretary, Eduardo M. Año.
Aside from the criminal cases for the Yuson murder, Cambaya and those involved in the illegal raid on the Yusons in 2019 are also now facing graft and corruption charges at the Ombudsman.

‘Only full-blown trial can resolve the issue’

In conclusion, the resolution said that the defense of Cam and her accomplices and the testimonies for or against them, can only be done “in a full-blown trial,” adding that when “considered on its entirety, the statements and evidence presented by the complainants are sufficient to establish probable cause for the conspiracy among all the respondents in the killing of Vice Mayor Charlie and the wounding of Alberto Alforte IV.”

The resolution was signed by Assistant State Prosecutor Josie Christina T Dugay, Atty. Eugene Q. Yusi, the prosecuting attorney, Richard Anthony D. Fadullon, Senior State Prosecutor and, Prosecutor General Benedicto A. Malcontento.