Murder suspect Michel Favila Sr. yesterday insisted that he was not in Cebu City when lawyer Arbet Sta. Ana-Yongco was shot dead inside her law office along Alcohol Street last October 11, 2004.
But when he was cross-examined by private prosecutor Ramon Jose Duyongco, the murder suspect admitted he came here from Palawan sometime in July 2004, although he failed to say how long he stayed here.
Favila also admitted he was arrested with a certain Eduardo Valmoria for illegal possession of firearms.
The suspect’s counsel Orlando Salatandre tried to stop Duyongco from discussing the issue about the arrest of Favila for illegal possession saying it was irrelevant and immaterial to the murder charges filed against him, but his argument was rejected by Regional Trial Court judge Bienvenido Saniel who kept telling Salatandre to stop disturbing the private prosecutor during his cross-examination of Favila.
Favila admitted that every time he comes to Cebu he stays at a relative’s house in Talamban. Duyongco considered this statement “a very important admission” because a prosecution witness, Eddie Ardita, said he picked up Favila in Talamban the morning Yongco was killed before they proceeded to Alcohol Street.
Prosecutors maintain Favila killed Yongco because she prosecuted the parricide case filed against Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association cult leader Ruben Ecleo Jr. for allegedly killing his wife, Alona Bacolod. Favila is a member of the cult.
Aside from testifying against Favila, Ardita has stood against M/Sgt. Heracleo Rallestan and Nestor Carrol who are accused of the same charges.
Ardita said he used to drive a motorcycle-for-hire plying the Pit-os route when Favila arranged for his services on the morning of Oct. 11, 2004.
He said he met Favila three days earlier when he was invited for a drink by a friend. It was in that friend’s house that Favila allegedly asked him if he could drive for him on Oct. 11, for a fee of P10,000 and revealed his plan to kill Yongco.
Ardita said he picked up Favila in Talamban around 7 a.m. that day and they proceeded to Alcohol Street, where he was introduced to two other companions that Favila called “Master Sergeant” and “Kano.”
Ardita’s statement corroborated the testimony of Jocelyn Gomez, a store helper in the area, who said she saw Rallestan, Carrol and Ardita along Alcohol Street before Yongco was killed. — Rene U. Borromeo/BRP