CHR finds no torture marks on 3 suspects in judge's slay

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) is backing up the assertion of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) that the three suspects in last April’s killing of Kabankalan Judge Henry Arles, were not tortured.

In a report, Arnold Lazaro, warden of the NBI Detention Center, said a CHR team subjected suspects Jessie Daguia, Alejandro Capunong, and Eddie Fortunado to a medical test last Thursday and found “no physical injury” on them.

Lawyer Frank Britanico, spokesman of the Arles family, said this development bolstered the statement of the Arleses and the NBI that the suspects were not tortured to own up to the crime.

The families of the suspects, who are all members of the Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPA-ABB), earlier had alleged that the three were being tortured at the NBI office in Manila where they were held after seeking protective custody.

NBI-Bacolod head Ferdinand Lavin earlier said they arrested the three suspects last June 23 and 27 in separate places in Bacolod for illegal possession of firearms, although they were tagged in Arles’ killing. The three reportedly sought protective custody so they were brought to the NBI in Manila, he said.

NBI-Bacolod filed charges of illegal possession of firearms against the three last July 25 before the provincial prosecutor’s office, while the Arles family filed murder charges against them at the Department of Justice last July 27.

The other suspects, Marvin Salve and Gerald Tabujara, also both RPA-ABB members, and Emmanuel Medez, said a personal aide of Ilog town Mayor John Paul Alvarez, alleged to be the mastermind, and three others, all still unidentified, remain at large.