Slain journalist's widow breaks down at hearing

MANILA, Philippines –  A widow of one of the journalists killed in the Nov. 23, 2009 Maguindanao massacre became hysterical outside the courtroom as the multiple murder case was being heard yesterday.

Shouting invectives at one of the defense lawyers, Myrna Reblando’s emotional outburst prompted Quezon City Regional Trial Court Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes to grant a recess after Myrna’s wailing was heard in the courtroom at the Quezon City Hall of Justice.

Myrna shouted and cursed at defense lawyers, particularly Andres Manuel and Sigfrid Fortun, while relatives of other victims and private prosecutor Nena Santos tried to calm her down. At that time, National Bureau of Investigation medico-legal officer Dr. Reynaldo Romero was testifying on the results of the autopsies he had done on the victims of the massacre.

Myrna called Manuel “bobo (stupid),” and said she again “remembered what they did to my husband (Manila Bulletin reporter Bong Reblando) ... His face was full of bullet holes. Who wouldn’t become angry?”

Witnesses said Myrna may have been set off by Manuel’s cross-examination of police medico-legal officer Dr. Dean Cabrera two weeks ago, during which he asked Cabrera if the massacre victims could have died of illness, not bullet wounds, or if it was possible that the victims could have killed each other.

“Can the victims kill each other?” Myrna said, reacting to Manuel’s questioning. Edith Tiamzon, widow of another victim, said “our spouses would not be crazy to go there just to kill each other.”

Sought for comment, Manuel told reporters to refer to court records.

After the hearing resumed, Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Richard Anthony Fadullon told Reyes that all of the victims’ relatives were escorted out of the courtroom because “they can’t handle the testimony of the doctor.” Fadullon also apologized for the disruption of the court proceedings.

Romero testified that victim Rosell Morales’ heart was torn by a bullet fragment, which he recovered from the left ventricle. He said the victim suffered 12 gunshot wounds, eight of them fatal.

One of the bullets entered below Morales’ right ear and exited near his right eye, fracturing the victim’s facial bones and destroying his right eyeball, Romero said. Another bullet tore through Morales’ spleen, stomach, diaphragm and left lung. – Video taken by Dennis Carcamo