Manila, Philippines - An official of the Witness Protection Security and Benefit Program, an attached agency of the Department of Justice (DOJ), asked the court to relieve the WPSBP of the responsibility of protecting witness Alfred Mendiola.
Acting WPSBP director Martin Nuñez said Mendiola, one of the accused and a possible state witness in the abduction and murder of car trader Venson Evangelista, is no longer under their physical and protective custody.
“It is respectfully prayed that this court issue an order... that the WPSBP be relieved of any responsibility over the person of the accused, particularly, but not limited to, the obligation of producing him in court when required,” stated a pleading, signed by Nuñez and filed before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 215 Friday. Mendiola’s status as a provisional witness under the program remains unchanged.
Judge Luisa Padilla has yet to formally drop Mendiola from the charge sheet and turn him into a state witness, even though the DOJ has admitted him into the program.
Mendiola, who admitted to having acted as buyer of the sport utility vehicle Evangelista was selling when he was abducted, is set to testify against alleged carjack kings Roger and Raymond Dominguez. He tagged the brothers as the alleged masterminds in the Evangelista kidnap-slay case.
On Tuesday, Mendiola allegedly slipped away from his bodyguards and chose to stay at the Bulacan Provincial Jail.
According to the WPSBP, Mendiola “persistently insisted that he be transferred to the custody of the Bulacan Provincial Jail” and that Mendiola waived his benefit for temporary shelter.
“As such, accused voluntarily relieved the WPSBP of any responsibility over his person and his security and safety,” the pleading stated.
Meanwhile, Jayson Miranda, another accused in the car theft with homicide case, asked the court to junk the motion for inhibition filed by Mendiola’s lawyer, Willie Rivera.
“Counsel for accused Mendiola has shown no evidence that the presiding judge’s opinion and judgment had already been clouded and swayed by opinion,” said Miranda’s lawyer, Marc Terry Perez. He said they sincerely believed in Padilla’s innate “sense of justice and fairness.”