Defense lawyer grills Arbet case witness

A defense lawyer in the case on the murder of Arbet Sta. Ana Yongco, the private prosecutor of the parricide case against cult leader Ruben Ecleo Jr., yesterday grilled the state witness against the three accused.

In an effort to show to the court that Eddie Ardeta is not a credible witness, defense lawyer Noel Archival focused his cross-examination on trying to let the witness recall even the smallest details of his activity prior to Yongco's killing.

The defense counsel had cross-examined Ardita on the kind and color of clothes that he and primary accused, Michel Favila, wore during their first meeting until the day that Favila allegedly shot Yongco inside her house on October 11, 2004.

Ardita said he could no longer recall what Favila had worn during their first meeting as it was too long time ago. But the state witness said he was then wearing a red t-shirt.

Ardita said he met Favila at the SOS Village before they went to Yongco's house. He said although Favila was already wearing a bonnet, he was able to recognize the accused because of his long white beard.

This provided a comic relief to the serious proceedings because Archival moved to strike from the record Ardita's answer to the question as to why a "bird" was suddenly included. Judge Bienvenido Saniel immediately explained that Ardita was not referring to a bird that flies.

Archival then withdrew his manifestation but went on to question why Favila's description was not included in Ardita's affidavit.

But Ardita's answer added the already hilarious atmosphere in the courtroom as he thought that Archival wanted him to attach Favila's picture in his affidavit.

Ardita was the habal-habal driver who reportedly drove Favila's getaway motorcycle after the latter allegedly killed Yongco. He was already discharged as one of the accused and, being the state witness, is now under the witness protection program of the Department of Justice. -Fred P. Languido/LPM