Witness protection program application of Abellanas stalled

CEBU - The application of Oscar and Osbert Abellana for the witness protection program has temporarily been stalled, pending papers and recommendation of the proper government agency.

This was the statement of assistant state prosecutor Graeme Elmido in an interview with the media yesterday.

He said that he is waiting for the other requirements given to the Abellanas and the recommendation of the proper government agency which is the Talisay City Police who is handling the case.

“If I will endorse it to Manila at this moment with lack of requirements, still this will come back to me so I would rather wait for everything to be completed,” Elmido said.

The father and son believe they are “targets of liquidation” after they refused to withdraw from the case for serious illegal detention and physical injuries they filed against Joavan Fernandez, adopted son of Talisay Mayor Socrates Fernandez.

The report said that the Abellanas suspect the armed men were the same companions of Joavan who earlier went to Tabunok about 2 a.m. on October 5 and looked for them supposedly to force them to retract their complaint.   But the two would rather seek for the witness protection program rather than to withdraw the case they have filed against Joavan.

To qualify for the witness protection program, a person must have witnessed a crime and testified before a judicial or investigating authority.

His testimonies must point to a serious crime, and that danger exists, that he or any members of his family may be harassed or killed to prevent him from testifying.

Based on Republic Act 6981 or the Witness, Security and Benefit Act, the applicant must not be a law enforcer or an asset of the police, which means that he is, indeed, defenseless. — Jasmin R. Uy/MEEV (THE FREEMAN)