Slain mayor’s family questions NGO’s offer to arrange meet with teen witness

INFANTA, Pangasinan, Philippines – Why only now?

This was the question raised by the family of slain Infanta Mayor Ruperto Martinez to a non-government organization (NGO) offering to arrange a meeting between them and a 16-year-old witness in the killing.

The boy’s testimony has become the basis for the murder complaint filed against Gov. Amado Espino Jr. and first district Rep. Jesus Celeste, tagged as the alleged masterminds, and the minor’s father himself.

In a statement the other day, the Martinezes said the offer of Akap-Bata came more than four months after the boy surfaced at the NGO’s center last Dec. 26, and “when the case is about to be resolved.” 

The Martinezes clarified that they are not in any way related to Akap-Bata, and the slain mayor neither knew nor was ever connected with the group. 

“So what gave them the personality to take the cudgels for us, and why did they take it upon themselves essentially to initiate the filing of the charges against Gov. Espino and Congressman Celeste, without consulting us, or without at least the basic courtesy of informing us about this supposed testimony of a 16-year-old minor?” the family said.

“If it is true, as they claim, that they took custody of the child witness because he was allegedly abused by his own father, isn’t it highly suspicious that up to now they have not filed a case against the child’s father, in order to protect the interest of the minor child, which is supposed to be the main concern of Akap-Bata? Instead, they have actively pursued the obviously fabricated charges against Gov. Espino and Congressman Celeste,” the family added.

Martinez’s widow Jennifer and sons Marvin and Richard were in Manila on Wednesday to support Espino’s motion for the dismissal of the murder complaint before the Department of Justice.

“Akap-Bata should have gotten in touch with us soon after (the witness) gave them his yarn and should have allowed us to evaluate his testimony,” the Martinez siblings said.– With Edu Punay