Defense lawyer opposes testimony of Maguindanao massacre victim's widow

MANILA, Philippines - A defense lawyer yesterday opposed the testimony of a widow of a victim in the Maguindanao massacre after it was found she failed to file a complaint affidavit as a private complainant.

“What is her right to testify?” said defense counsel Andres Manuel, referring to Ivy Maravilla.

The witness is the widow of Ernesto Maravilla, broadcaster from Bombo Radyo. She came to testify on the civil aspect of the case, specifically on the damages she was asking to be awarded.

But before her testimony began, Manuel asked for a copy of her complaint affidavit.

The prosecution then said she failed to file it since she was working in Kuwait at the time the massacre happened on Nov. 23, 2009.

Prosecutor Dana Gomez said there had been instances in the past when private complainants were allowed to testify on the civil aspect of the case even without their complaint affidavits.

Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes eventually allowed the complainant to testify since the name of her husband indeed appeared on the list of victims submitted by the police to the Department of Justice.

Solis-Reyes also noted that the plaintiff in the criminal case is the “People of the Philippines” and that the widow was only testifying on the civil aspect of the case.

According to the widow, their family spent P200,000 for the wake of her slain husband. She said her husband was earning P111,000 annually, excluding allowances.

The defense lawyers did not cross-examine her, consistent with their “vehement objection” to her testimony.