Aves pleads not guilty to bystander's murder

The alleged “hitman” of the Alpha Kappa Rho fraternity denied he was the one who shot dead a resident of B. Aranas Street three years ago.

During his arraignment yesterday, Aristotle “Ares” Aves, who is facing a number of criminal charges before the several branches of the Regional Trial Court in Cebu City and Mandaue City, told RTC judge Ramon Codilla Jr. that it was not him who shot dead Johnfred Marquez on the evening of December 21, 2004.

The court has scheduled the pre-trial of the case on April 1, where the counsels for the prosecution and defense will agree on the issues to be taken up during the trial.

Witnesses claimed that about 8:20 p.m. Aves arrived at B. Aranas Street looking for Froilan Romero and Paul Jhon Pila, both members of Tau Gamma Phi fraternity, the rival fraternity of Akrho.

Tau Gamma member Analex Yagonia said Aves then pulled out a handgun from his waist and shot Pila, hitting him in the right arm.

Pila said he ran inside his house and later heard another shot from outside.  When he looked back, he saw Marquez already lying on the pavement.  Witnesses said the victim was only resting in front of his house when he was shot.

Aves went into hiding for a few years after the police implicated him to a series of killings in the city and filed strings of criminal cases against him in court, he was captured late last year.

He was also blamed for the killing of businessman Wilson Yu in October 6, 2005 and the murder of Japanese businessman Hiroshi Kusaka last November 13, both in Mandaue City.

Yu was shot dead by three men as he was driving to his company's office in Pilit, barangay Cabancalan.  Kusaka was gunned down while his van stopped at a red light at the corner of G. Ouano and Plaridel streets in barangay Cambaro.  - Rene U. Borromeo/BRP