Six navy men in Pestaño case surrender

MANILA, Philippines - Six Navy personnel tagged in the Pestaño case  surrendered  on Tuesday to the Navy to face the charges against them.

The Navy personnel surrendered after the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 55  issued a warrant of arrest against them.

Ana Luz Cristal, lawyer of the Navy personnel, said the warrant was issued last January but was served to her clients Monday night.

The six soldiers will be placed under the custody of the Navy Provost Martial.

The six Navy men who surrendered are Commander Reynaldo Lopez, Lt. Commander Luidegar Casis, Lt. Commander Alfrederick Alba, and Lt. Commander Joselito Colico; and enlisted personnel Machinery Repairman 2nd Class Sandy Miranda and Hospitalman 2nd Class Welmenio Aquino. They are still in active service.

Cristal said they would also file a motion that would allow the Navy to take custody of the retired soldiers implicated in the case. She said the surrender was not a sign of guilt.

“We will just follow the process,” Cristal said in Filipino.

In 1995, Navy Ensign Philip Pestaño was found dead in his cabin with a pistol and a letter saying that he committed suicide. Pestaño  was a deck officer and cargo officer of BRP Bacolod City.

His death came after he allegedly discovered that the cargo loaded in the ship were illegally cut logs and about 50 sacks of shabu passed off as flour. He allegedly refused to approve the cargo despite the orders of his superiors.
The Office of the Ombudsman has found probable cause to indict ten Navy men for murder.

Four of the 10 respondents have retired from the service namely retired Navy Capt. Ricardo Ordonez, retired Lt. Commander Ruben Roque, Petty Officer 1st Class Cartlito Amoroso and retired Petty Officer 2nd Class Mil Igcasan Leonor.

The 10 respondents, however, maintained that Pestaño took his own life. They claimed that some Navy officials did not inform investigators about Pestaño’s suicidal tendency.

The respondents said Pestaño had slashed his wrist 17 days before he shot himself to death. They claimed that the Navy Ensign ended his life because of problems in his love life.