Ex-Biliran Guv. slay: Prosecution says they have 10 witnesses vs. Corpin

The private prosecutors of the murder case filed against the alleged assailant of former Biliran governor Danilo Parilla said they have at least 10 witnesses who can prove the guilt of suspect Eugenio Corpin who pleaded not guilty to the crime in yesterday's arraignment of the case.

Adelino Sitoy, head of the panel of private prosecutors, successfully convinced the court to allow them to file amended information that would state that Corpin is a "recidivist," meaning a person who always commits crimes and was already convicted of violating the law.

Sitoy claimed that they have some evidences to support their claim that Corpin was already convicted of several cases, illegal possession of firearms, robbery, direct assault and traffic offenses.

But Corpin's lawyer, Sisinio Andales, said the prosecutors must prove their claim during the formal trial of the case. Andales rejected several stipulations of facts that were presented by the prosecution for possible admission by the defense during the pre-trial conference that followed the arraignment yesterday.

The Supreme Court defined the word "recidivist" as one who, at the time of his trial for one crime, shall have been previously convicted by final judgment of another crime embraced in the same title of the penal code.

Andales argued that illegal possession of firearms and some other violations mentioned by Sitoy are not in the same title in the penal code, meaning it has no legal basis.

He even denied that his client was interviewed by reporters immediately after he was arrested on the morning of September 7, 2006 after he allegedly shot and killed Parilla when both of them disembarked from an inter-island vessel in Cebu City from Biliran.

"My client could not remember that he was being interviewed by the reporters about the killing of Parilla," Andales told Regional Trial Court judge Gilbert Moises, but some TV reporters who covered the court proceedings insisted that they have footage of the interview.

Andales also denied that the police seized a .45 cal. pistol from his client when he was arrested though he said Corpin was subjected to a paraffin test. Andales refused to admit the findings that his client was found positive of gunpowder residue.

Eight persons signed affidavits against Corpin, including Parilla's wife Susan. Of the eight, three were positive that it was Corpin who shot and killed Parilla after the victim disembarked from a vessel at the port area.

A woman from Naval, Biliran also filed an affidavit as an eyewitness and said she was only about a meter away from Parilla on the way down from the ship when Corpin pushed her aside then shot the 52-year-old former governor. - Rene U. Borromeo/BRP