US embassy protecting slay suspect?

Justice Secretary Hernando Perez hinted yesterday that the US Embassy in Manila may have coddled the principal suspect in the kidnap-slaying of a late Quezon City judge’s son who escaped from jail last week.

"Its possible that he is under the custody of the embassy officials because they were the last ones who were with him in the (radiology) room," he told newsmen, referring to US embassy personnel who escorted Onofre Surat to a hospital before he escaped.

Surat, a naturalized American citizen, indicted for the May 3 killing of Mark Bacalla, 24, son of the late Judge Mariano Bacalla, was escorted by Maryanne Caparas and Michael Newbill Anthony for a check up at the East Avenue Medical Center on June 29.

"The problem is that we can’t file charges against them because they might invoke diplomatic immunity. So we’re asking them (US Embassy) to surrender him (Surat)," Perez added, saying that if Surat goes to the embassy, they can’t have him arrested.

In a faxed statement sent to Metro Manila newspaper offices yesterday, the US Embassy Public Affairs Section denied coddling the suspect. "Philippine and American authorities have been working closely together on the Surat case. The United States has no motivation for assisting an indicted criminal to escape justice. We trust that Mr. Surat will be found or will surrender to face serious charges against him," the statement said.

Surat sought help from the US and complained that he was mauled severely while he was in the custody of the agents of the National Bureau of Investigation, who arrested him shortly after the incident.

This prompted Paul Boyd, chief of the embassy’s American Citizens Services, to write a letter to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, who then had custody of Surat, to check his physical condition.

Without any court order, the Quezon City jail warden, Chief Inspector Alberto San Pedro Santos, allowed Surat to be brought to the East Avenue Medical Center, where the embassy staffers reportedly told the jail guards to get out of the room. – Delon Porcalla