NBI denies torturing judge's slay suspects

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — The NBI has denied subjecting to torture the three suspects in the murder of Kabankalan Regional Trial Court Judge Henry Arles.

NBI-Bacolod head Ferdinand Lavin said Tuesday: “We have admitted to taking into custody the three (suspects) who may have something to do with that (murder of Arles). But we would like to state categorically we did not abduct these people; we arrested them for illegal possession of firearms, we did not torture them, if that’s the nature of the complaints lodged before the CHR (Commission on Human Rights).”

Lavin confirmed that the three suspects—Jessie Daguia, Eddie Fortunado and Vincent Capunong—are now in NBI Manila and are being investigated in connection with the Arles case. “We are evaluating their participation whether they have something to do with the murder of Judge Arles,” he said.

He said the NBI is also considering putting the confiscated firearms to ballistic exams to verify if they were the same weapons used in the murder of Arles.

The NBI has already filed charges for illegal possession of firearms against the three suspects, he said while emphasizing that the bureau is still validating the claims that they were RPA-ABB members. Even if they are, they are not authorized to carry firearms in public places, Lavin said, adding that the three have sought protective custody.

Lavin said the accusations that the NBI tortured the suspects are not true and are meant to discredit the investigation. “This goes to show your NBI is working. And we are seriously looking into the investigation of a very sensational case. This is expected that when you do something good, when you are in the thick of the investigation, some plots or ploys will derail us from the main investigative focus or discredit the investigation being conducted by NBI,” he said.

The NBI is conducting a parallel investigation with the Task Group Arles, which was created by the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office.

On Monday, the niece of Daguia, told the media that the three, whom she admitted to be members of RPA-ABB, were arrested by the NBI last June 23, and were tortured by its officers to own up to the murder of Arles.

The niece, who requested anonymity, said their family lodged a complaint to the CHR against the NBI, alleging that the three were arrested without warrants in Kabankalan and were brought to NBI Manila. She said she was told by CHR case investigator Vincent Parra that the CHR will accompany their family in going to NBI Manila to verify her complaints.

Lavin said he has not received a copy of the complaints lodged before the CHR but he doubted the motive of the family, since they have only reported the alleged abduction a month after. “Why only now? Normally if a relative is missing, you look for them immediately,” he said, adding that they have informed the relatives of the suspects about the arrest.

The niece said it was only last Sunday that they were able to talk to Daguia using the mobile phone of one of his companions in the detention cell, and learned what happened. But Lavin said the three were arrested when they were caught “red-handed” possessing illegal firearms in separate places in Bacolod. Daguia was arrested on June 23, while Fortunado and Capunong were arrested on June 27.

Lawyer Frank Britanico, brother-in-law of Judge Arles and spokesperson of the family, said Monday night that they doubt the alleged “abduction” of the three suspects. “It’s a lie. It’s nothing but money,” Britanico said, adding that the accusations were unfair to the NBI.

“We will vouch that all procedures of NBI (in the Arles case) has been done in a legal manner,” Britanico said. —(FREEMAN)