MANILA, Philippines -- Prosecutors charged an admitted member of a communist guerrilla hit squad Wednesday with the slaying of U.S. Army Col. James 'Nick' Rowe and the wounding of his driver in an ambush two months ago.
Prosecutor Warlito Galisanao lodged 'murder and frustrated murder' charges in the suburban Quezon City Regional Trial Court against Donato Continente, 27, and several others identified only as John Does.
Galisanao said whatever criminal court judge is assigned to the case would schedule an arraignment on the charges, which carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. The death sentence has been abolished in the Philippines.
No bail was recommended for Continente.
Continente, a messenger at the weekly student newspaper Collegian, was arrested Friday at the state-run University of the Philippines. He confessed he was a member of the assassination team of the Alex Boncayao Brigade and conducted surveillance on Rowe, but denied involvement in the murder.
The brigade is the Manila hit squad for the 23,000-member communist New Peoples Army, which has been battling the central government for 20 years.
Rowe, of McAllen, Texas, was gunned down April 21 by men riding in a car while he was being driven to his office at the Joint U.S. Military Assistance Group in Quezon City. His driver, Joaquin Binuya, was wounded in the attack.
The NPA later claimed responsibility, accusing Rowe, a decorated Vietnam war veteran, of being a direct participant in President Corazon Aquino's 'total war' against the insurgents.
The Philippine Constabulary Monday recommended filing murder charges against Continente and six other people still at large. The six others have been identified as Freddie Abella, Thadeus Abulencia, Jershum Manglinong and Francisco Belmonte -- all former state university students -- and Raymond Navarro and Emer Paterno.
Galisanao, however, decided to name only Continente and amend the charge sheet once the other suspects have been captured.
Constabulary officials said the six were implicated by Continente and three other witnesses, including a guerrilla who had turned state evidence.
The charge sheet filed by Galisanao said those accused murdered Rowe, 'conspiring together, confederating with and mutually helping one another, with intent to kill, with evident premeditation and treachery and with the use of ... rifles and motor vehicles.'
