Evelio slay suspect often out of jail?

SAN JOSE, Antique — An accused in the Evelio Javier murder case was frequently seen in Iloilo City despite the Supreme Court resolution that all accused shall not be allowed to go out of jail except on written permission of the trial court for a lawful purpose.

This came up after Antique Provincial Jail Warden Domer Odani failed to produce Jimmy Punzalan, one of the accused in the 14-year-old case in last Monday’s hearing on the Evelio Javier case.

Punzalan was ordered detained at the Antique provincial jail by the resolution of high court’s first division written by Justice Bernardo Pardo last Jan. 24. He was tagged as the one who delivered the high-powered firearms used in the killing.

It was also the same resolution that sent the alleged mastermind, former Assemblyman Arturo Pacificador and lawyer Avelino Javellana both accused in the Javier slay case to jail after 14 years.

Antique Gov. Exequiel Javier, brother of the slain Evelio, told The STAR yesterday that he was not aware that Punzalan was out of jail. He said he would ask Odani about the reports.

Accused Javellana, who also acts as lawyers to the accused, said that Punzalan did not have any court order for his temporary liberty.

"It’s unfair that Punzalan can have his temporary liberty, while other accused cannot," Javellana said.

On the other hand, Pacificador, tagged as the mastermind on the Feb. 11, 1986 assassination, told The STAR that Odani was fined P2,000 for contempt of court for failing to produce Punzalan during the last hearing.

"It was only the day after the hearing that Punzalan appeared in Antique," Javellana said. — Leo Solinap