Tata Negro's "killer" pleads not guilty

CEBU, Philippines - The man accused of shooting to death a candidate for councilor in Cebu City pleaded not guilty during the arraignment yesterday at the Regional Trial Court Branch 16.

Jimmy Diala, assisted by lawyer Chezie Demigillo, entered a not guilty plea in the killing of Cresistomo “Tata Negro” Llaguno, who was running for the Cebu City Council in the last May elections.

Llaguno’s family, however, apparently could not take Diala’s not guilty-plea. Gina Persson, Llaguno’s sister, slapped Diala on his way out of the courtroom. Persson said she could no longer contain her anger against the accused.

Llaguno’s wife Liezel Gonzales also wanted to catch up with Diala outside the courtroom but failed. In her haste, she was not even able to wear her slippers.

Henry Espinosa, the chief of the security at the Palace of Justice, advised the family of the late Llaguno to avoid making trouble inside the building as there was an ongoing hearing at Branch 58.

“Makunsensya unta siya. Iya unta nga itug-an kung kinsa gyud ang nagsugo niya sa pagpatay sa akong bana,” said Liezel. She added that until now, she has not recovered from losing her husband.

“Daghan ang kaldero nga nakulob sa pagkawala ni Tata Negro,” she further said, adding that she is now wondering where to get money for her children’s enrolment.

 Diala, 40, comes from Barangay Casalaan, Siaton, Negros Oriental. The police arrested him after he allegedly shot Llaguno during a campaign sortie in Barangay Lorega San Miguel, Cebu City. Earlier reports said that Llaguno was about to shake Diala’s hand when a shot was fired.

Llaguno or Tata Negro had figured in previous newsreports for being in the authorities’ illegal drugs watchlist. Because of this, Cebu City Vice Mayor and now Mayor-elect Michael Rama’s friendship with him was used as an election issue. 

According to earlier reports, Diala claimed to be an asset of the Philippine Army in his town and had confessed he was hired to kill Llaguno. He had said his family’s life was threatened if he refused.

“I was told Tata Negro was a drug lord and that there was a bounty on his head),” he was earlier quoted as saying. Diala was a farmer in Negros and came to Cebu last April after he was assured of a construction job. Instead of getting the promised work, he was allegedly shown a photograph of Llaguno and the assassination plan was supposedly made the day he arrived in Cebu.  (FREEMAN NEWS)