ALLAN DIZON CASE - Prosecution witnesses: Defense witnesses lied

Two prosecution witnesses yesterday refuted and tagged as lies the earlier testimonies of three defense witnesses that they and the two were drinking in a place meters from the area where the FREEMAN photojournalist Allan Dizon was shot dead, that they could not possibly witness the shooting.

"Bakak na (It's a lie)!" said Justiniano Doller referring to the testimonies of the defense witnesses that they were drinking with him and Epifanio Barcuma at least 500 meters away from the area where Dizon was killed. Doller and Barcuma had positively identified Edgar Belandres as the alleged gunman who killed Dizon at 6pm of November 27, last year near a cellshop at the north reclamation area.

But last June 30, defense witness Ryan Igot said, at the time of the shooting, he saw Doller and Barcuma drinking with his uncle Alan Igot and Junnie Flores, his cousin's husband, at a store near his residence far from the crime scene.

Then last July 7 hearing, defense witness Alan Igot corroborated Ryan's testimony saying he had a drinking spree with Flores, Doller and Barcuma in the same place Ryan had mentioned. Doller and Barcuma denied all these, telling prosecution lawyer Dante Ramos that they never drunk with the three in that store but were doing their work as dispatcher of jeepneys in the area, so they had a better view of the killer of Dizon.

Doller said he never drank any liquor but coconut wine. He also denied the Igots were his neighbors because his house in Sapa-Sapa, Mandaue City was more than 120 meters away from the Igot compound, which already belongs to Cebu City.

Doller also refuted Ryan's claim that they knew each other for 25 years; Ryan only settled in the place last 1990, said Doller.

Barcuma, the second prosecution witness, dismissed the testimonies of the Igots. "Dakong bakak! Di ko kabiya kay magutman akong pamilya (A big lie! I could not leave (my work) because my family would starve)."

Barcuma said the only time he had a drinking session before with Doller was in his house where they usually drink beer. This beer drink somehow contradicted Doller's stand that he only drinks coconut wine. Barcuma then rebutted Allan Igot's testimony that he was a resident of the place for 20 years. He said he only arrived in barangay Mabolo in 1992 to become a dispatcher, and it was only a year after when he came to know the Igots. - Liv G. Campo