‘Stop hunt, YOU head will surface’

A lawyer for police Superintendent Rafael Cardeno, suspected mastermind in the New Year’s Eve murder of a self-styled spokesman for the rightist group Young Officers’ Union (YOU), called yesterday for the immediate recall of a manhunt order for his client, saying no case has been filed in court yet.

Lawyer Homobono Adaza said Cardeno "is willing to submit himself to any investigation."

"But they should stop the manhunt first. You know, if there is a manhunt, anybody can just kill you," he said.

Adaza, a former legislator from Mindanao, went to Camp Crame yesterday to officially lodge his protest at the office of Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Leandro Mendoza.

"I would like to personally know from them if they have already amended the Constitution. They have already amended the rules of court, and there is now a new procedure that on a mere say so of anybody that he participated in the killing, then you can be subjected to a manhunt," Adaza said.

In a press statement on Thursday, Mendoza announced the launching of a manhunt against Cardeno who was tagged as the mastermind in the gunslaying of Baron Cervantes, self-styled spokesman for YOU, last Dec. 31 along the Alabang-Zapote Road in Las Piñas.

Suspected triggerman former Marine Sgt. Joseph Mostrales, who was arrested earlier by the police in Pangasinan, claimed that Cardeno gave the order to kill Cervantes.

Mostrales, erstwhile close-in security personnel of deposed President Joseph Estrada said they did in Cervantes on the same day that Cardeno gave the order.

"He (Cervantes) was seen as a hindrance to our objectives," Mostrales said during a news conference the other day.

Prior to his death, Cervantes blew the whistle on an alleged coup plot against the Arroyo administration.

"If they will continue with this manhunt, we will be constrained to file cases against General Mendoza and the other persons who pursue this manhunt in the earliest possible opportunity," Adaza said.

The lawyer pulled his own surprise when he presented Cardeno’s colleague, Superintendent Diosdado Valeroso, to reporters.

Valeroso was among a number of people in the YOU and the Rebolusyonaryong Alyansang Makabansa (RAM) who were invited for questioning to shed light on the Cervantes killing.

Adaza, however, prevented Valeroso from issuing any statements to the media.

Meanwhile, PNP spokesman Senior Superintendent Leonardo Espina said they are studying legal actions against Cardeno, even as he maintained that the manhunt order was misconstrued by Adaza.

"Superintendent Rafael Cardeno is an active member of the police force. He should report for duty. He should show ... up to answer all the administrative and criminal charges against him," Espina said.

He added that Cardeno has been absent without official leave.

"That’s their own perception of manhunt. On Monday, we will file the charges against him," Espina said.