Ex-cop’s trial to adopt earlier testimonies

CEBU CITY — The court has admitted as evidence the earlier testimonies of eight witnesses for a separate trial against a former policeman accused of having masterminded the kidnapping of a Cebuano boy.

In an order, Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Pampio Abarintos admitted the testimonies of victim Ryan James Yu’s father Ronee and half-brother Marc Gacayan, houseboy Joel Bation, and policemen Ypil Dueñas, Wilkins Villanueva, Jose Briones, Jacob Macabali and Joseph Montesclaros.

The eight witnesses earlier testified at the trial of the other accused — Jovencio Camado, Edgar Manimog, Roberto Galope and brothers Efren and Henry Hernandez.

Galope and Camado were subsequently sentenced to death. Efren Hernandez was meted a 40-year jail term, while Manimog got 17 years. The charges against Henry Hernandez were dismissed for lack of sufficient evidence.

Former policeman Engelberto Durano is being tried separately because he was arrested later than his five co-accused.

Despite admitting the earlier testimonies of the eight witnesses, the court, however, denied the prosecutors’ request to adopt the testimony of suspect-turned-witness Oster Repollo.

In a separate motion, the prosecution said they would have wanted Repollo’s testimony admitted in Durano’s trial, but the court rejected this, saying the motion failed to meet certain requisites.

Abarintos also denied a motion filed by Camado, Galope, Hernandez and Manimog last Feb. 26 seeking a new trial for alleged lack of substantial affidavits.

For lack of merit, the court also denied a motion by Reynaldo Berdin, assistant regional director of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, to transfer Durano to the Lapu-Lapu City jail. — Freeman News Service