Yongco Case: Defense wants Ardita back in jail

The defense panel has moved for the recommitment of Eddie Ardita, one of the accused in the murder of lawyer Arbet Sta. Ana-Yongco, to the Bagong Buhay Rehabilitation Center while his fate, as state witness has not been decided yet with finality by the court.

Lawyer Orlando Salatandre who represents the primary suspect Michel Favila, Sr. and Noel Archival representing the other two accused Heracleo Rallestan and Nestor Carol jointly moved that the court order Ardita's transfer from the custody of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group to the BBRC.

Salatandre said Ardita's custody at the CIDG while the other accused are languishing at the crowded BBRC is tantamount to special treatment. Salatandre said although the Regional Trial Court has granted the prosecution's motion to discharge him as one of the accused but the ruling is not yet final because they have a pending motion for reconsideration.

Salatandre insisted that Ardita is not qualified to be a state witness because other witnesses do not corroborate his testimony. Ardita tagged Favila, one of the officials of the Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association, a cult led by Ruben Ecleo, Jr., as the alleged gunman who killed Yongco.

Yongco was the private prosecutor of the parricide case against Ecleo before she was murdered. Both parties agreed yesterday to submit the pending motion for reconsideration of the defense on the court's earlier ruling granting the discharge of Ardita.

RTC judge Bienvinido Saniel has ordered the defense to put their motion to transfer Ardita to BBRC into writing. Ardita's lawyer Francisco Amit strongly opposed the move saying that his client's life is in danger.

Amit said the threat to Ardita's life is not only imaginary but real. According to Amit, he will only allow his client's transfer from CIDG after he shall have testified and cross-examined by the defense.

Salatandre said there is no basis for Amit's objection to the transfer because no blotter report supports his claim that Ardita is under threat.

Ardita claimed that he was the driver of the motorcycle used as the getaway vehicle after Favila allegedly killed Yongco last October 11, 2004. - Fred P. Languido