Esperat lawyer welcomes raps vs Bolante

GENERAL SANTOS CITY — The lawyer of the family of slain Sultan Kudarat columnist Marlene Esperat welcomed the report that a Manila-based lawyer is planning to file a case against former agriculture undersecretary Jocjoc Bolante in connection with the killing.

"If they indeed have enough basis to involve Bolante in the murder of Esperat, then maybe they know better what is supposed to do… Basta ako ayaw ko nang makialam sa kaso na ’yan (I don’t want to have anything to do with the case anymore)," said lawyer Nena Santos.

This, as lawyer Harry Roque Jr., a professor of public international law at the University of the Philippines’ College of Law, said the other day that he is filing a case against Bolante in connection with the Esperat killing.

Esperat was shot dead in front of her children inside their house in Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat on March 24, 2005.

Santos told The STAR that she has no idea about the action which Roque is planning to take, except information relayed to her that a group of the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility "is tapping (Roque’s) legal services to pursue the murder case against the alleged brains in the killing."

Santos claimed that after the verdict of Cebu City Regional Trial Court Judge Eric Menchavez last October meting out life imprisonment on the triggerman, Gerry Cabayag, and his co-accused, Estanislao Bismanos and Randy Grecia, she said she decided to give up the case.