2 judge slay suspects file raps vs NBI

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – Two of the 11 suspects in the murder of Kabankalan Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Henry Arles showed up at the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in Bacolod last Friday to file harassment charges against the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Marvin Salve, vice commander of the Revolutionary Proletarian Army – Alex Boncayao Brigade in the sixth district of Negros Occidental and Gerald Tabujara, an RPA-ABB member, said the NBI is falsely charging them with murder.

In their complaint filed with the Department of Justice (DOJ) last July 27, the Arles family said Salve was with Alejandro Capunong and Eddie Fortunado on a tricycle that blocked Arles’ car when the judge was on his way home to Ilog on April 24.

The alleged triggerman, Jessie Daguia, was riding a motorcycle driven by Tabujara. Daguia allegedly fired the first three shots that killed the judge, while Tabujara also shot the victim. 

NBI-Bacolod head Ferdinand Lavin said Daguia, Capunong and Fortunado, all RPA-ABB members, are under the custody of the NBI in Manila, where they sought protective custody.

But Fortunado, who was brought to the Bacolod RTC Branch 42 last Wednesday, retracted his statement, saying he was tortured into admitting the crime. He also denied seeking protective custody.

Lawyer Frank Britanico, spokesman for the Arles family, laughed off the harassment complaints by Salve and Tabujara.

“This latest maneuvering of the suspects has no legal value and no legal basis,” Britanico told The STAR in a phone interview.

“It’s funny, it’s a comedy. It’s like a robber going to the police to complain of the robbery even before the victim came to the police,” he said.

“The RPA-ABB will do its best to save the other two (Salve and Tabujara),” he added.

Britanico said the Arles family believes that Daguia, Capunong and Fortunado would eventually be convicted on the strength of their confessions at the NBI- Bacolod office in the presence of some reporters. This, despite Fortunado’s retraction at a court hearing.

A new witness dubbed “Honeybee,” who surfaced last Thursday tagged Salve and Tabujara in the killing.

The witness said the group of Ilog Mayor John Paul Alvarez, Cauayan Vice Mayor Jerry Tabujara, and Vice Gov. Genaro Alvarez Jr. approached Salve to kill Arles.

On the statement of the mayor that the testimony of the new witness was a “fairytale,” Britanico said they believe that the witness is “very credible.”

On Tabujara’s claim that the allegations of “Honeybee” was politically motivated, Britanico said, “That’s a convenient excuse.”

“The Arles and Britanico families are not registered voters of Cauayan. None of us have plans to run against him in the elections. How can it be politically motivated?” he asked.