By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The police officer named in the murders of former Berya drug group members Ricky Serenio’s family members, Senior Police Officer 1 (SPO1) Joshua Barile, denied all allegations and said he is only being implicated after crossing a “powerful and influential” individual from Southern Negros.
The police officer declined to name the individual but said he would do so in the proper forum, but cited the incident stems from a 2008 incident, where he filed charges against the said individual on illegal possession of firearms and conducted a follow-up raid of the individual’s residents in 2013.
Barile, assigned to the Philippine National Police (PNP) Intelligence Group at Camp Crame, was charged by the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) last May 26 for the murder of Wilmar Serenio and his father Wilfredo.
Prior his current post, he was head of the Regional Intelligence Unit (RIU) in the Negros Island Region (NIR).
Barile said Serenio knows who is responsible for the murders, but is unable to do anything due to “pressure” and being under protection by a “well-known personality.”
When asked where he was during the time of the killings, the officer said he would divulge the information at the proper time and forum.
He claimed the police hierarchy here is contaminated with evil and almost everyone is getting paid off.
Barile said he will bring the issue to PNP Director General Ronald dela Rosa and the Office of the President.
He is urging a separate investigation of the case from a police unit which is independent and cannot be “bought nor cowed.”
Barile, who said he is living like a rat, is seeking refuge anywhere declaring he himself and his family are in grave danger./WDJ