Albayalde blames witness as reason for wrongful arrest of suspect in Fr. Nilo slay

Philippine National Police chief Director General Oscar Albayalde on Monday pointed to the witness as the reason why authorities arrested a suspect in the killing of Nueva Ecija priest Fr. Richmond Nilo who later turned out to be a victim of "mistaken identity."

At a press briefing in Camp Crame, Albayalde maintained that police did not stop with their investigation even if Adell Roll Milan was arrested.

"Actually this is one commendable act of the Philippine National Police, because as I've said earlier from the very start, we did not stop with the investigation despite the fact na mayroong nagturo doon sa sinasabing suspect," he said.

"You could just imagine, we could have stopped with our investigation dahil nga doon sa sinasabing may naituro na, we could stopped to the statement of that sakristan but since nung tinuro niya, we did not stop with our investigation," he added.

The PNP chief said they have no control over the witness as he was under the custody of priests.

"Otherwise, if they rested, tapos na and we could have just admitted na very shallow yung investigation but we did not, we did not. It's not us who gave the mistaken identity, it's the altar boy, kasi hindi kami ang may kasalanan dito, yung ano, kasi wala kaming control over the altar boy," Albayalde said.

Milan, who was earlier considered as the "prime suspect" in the killing of Fr. Nilo was arrested on June 14. He was said to have been positively identified as the one who shot Fr. Nilo.

He, however, was released last week after Presiding Judge Angelo Perez of the Regional Trial Court Branch 27 of Cabanatuan City ordered the withdrawal of criminal case against him.

Milan's legal counsel, Larry Gadon, earlier said this was a "case of mistaken identity," adding that they will not press charges against the police who arrested the former suspect as he believes the arrest of his client was a result of the police's "eagerness to solve the case."

Nilo was shot dead by motorcyle-riding suspects while he was about to officiate a 6 p.m. Mass in a chapel in Barangay Mayamot in Zaragoza, Nueva Ecija, on June 10.

He was the third priest to be killed since December last year.

At least four suspects are now under police custody, with Omar Mallari identified as the gunman. — RSJ, GMA News