The Navotas City Regional Trial Court has found Caloocan policeman Jeffrey Perez guilty of two counts of murder in connection with the death of Carl Angelo Arnaiz and Reynaldo “Kulot” de Guzman in August 2017.

In an 89-page decision, Navotas RTC Presiding Judge Romana Lindayag del Rosario sentenced Perez to reclusion perpetua or life imprisonment for each count.

The policeman was also ordered to indemnify the heirs of Arnaiz P390,000 in damages and P300,000 for the heirs of De Guzman.

Earlier, Perez was convicted by Caloocan City Regional Trial Court Branch 122 Presiding Judge Rodrigo Pascua in November 2022 for the planting of evidence and torture, also in connection with the twin killings.

For violation of Republic Act 9745 or the Anti-Torture Act of 2010 against Arnaiz, the court sentenced Perez to a prison term of six months to four years and two months.

For violation of the same law in relation to De Guzman, the police officer was sentenced to life imprisonment.

In the case of planting of evidence against Arnaiz, the court meted two life terms to Perez, in addition to “absolute perpetual disqualification from any public office.”

He was also directed to pay the heirs of Arnaiz and De Guzman the amount of P2 million for each of the victim’s heirs representing moral and exemplary damages.

The charges against Perez’s co-accused PO1 Ricky Aquilita were dismissed due to his death.

The court gave credence to the testimony of lone eyewitness Joe Daniel who provided “a complete and detailed account of the whole incident, from the moment he personally saw the victims,” together with Perez and Aquilita until the time Arnaiz was killed.

“Joe Daniel did not only testify and describe the events chronologically, but he, moreover, provided particular details, which only a credible eyewitness could convey and deliver,” the decision read.

Arnaiz and De Guzman’s killings happened at the height of the anti-illegal drug war of the Duterte administration.

The deceased were neighbors in Cainta Rizal who decided to go out for a snack on the evening of 18 August 2017 but failed to return home.

Their bodies were found 10 days later in a creek in Gapan, Nueva Ecija with Arnaiz sustaining gunshot wounds while De Guzman was stabbed 30 times.