3 ex-rebels get life for Negros judge’s slay

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — Three former communist rebels have been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of a judge in Negros Occidental.

Alejandro Capunong, Eddie Fortunado and Jessie Daguia were found guilty of murdering Kabankalan City Judge Henry Arles six years ago.

Arles was on his way home when he was shot dead in Barangay Manalad, Ilog town on April 24, 2012.

In a ruling dated Nov. 9, Judge Editha Mina Aguba of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 100 did not grant the accused eligibility for parole.

Reports said  Capunong, Fortunado and Daguia were former members of the Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade, a breakaway faction of the New People’s Army.

Court records showed the accused conspired to kill the victim. It said Daguia was the one who shot Arles, while Capunong and Fortunado were the drivers of two vehicles used in the killing.

The three confessed to plotting and killing Arles, but later recanted their statements.

Aguba did not give merit to their recantation, saying the accused just wanted to escape their predicament.

Daguia reportedly received P81,000, Fortunado P75,000 and Capunong P31,000 for carrying out the crime. They were arrested on Aug. 22, 2013.

The court dismissed the charges of torture that the accused filed against the relatives of the victim.