Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Fortunato de Gracia has directed the clerk of court to include in the succeeding regular raffle the case of Aklan-based journalist Herson Hinolan who was murdered in 2004 allegedly by a former mayor.
De Gracia directed lawyer Jeoffrey Joaquino to immediately raffle the case after receiving the records from the RTC in Aklan. The Supreme Court granted on March 18 a petition by the Freedom Fund for Filipino Journalists and the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines to transfer the venue of the trial against the accused, former Lezo town mayor Alfredo Arcenio.
The FFFJ, a coalition of six media organizations formed in response to the tide of journalist killings, and the NUJP asked the High Court to transfer the venue of the trial of the case from the RTC of Kalibo, Aklan to any branch of the Cebu City or Makati City RTC “to avoid a miscarriage of justice and to dispel the impression that a culture of impunity encouraged by government inaction makes the Philippines the ‘most murderous place for journalists.’”
FFFJ claimed that the accused is influential in the area which prevents possible witnesses to come out for fear of retaliation.
Hinolan, a hard-hitting commentator of Bombo Radyo where he also served as manager, was murdered on November 13, 2004 outside a local carnival in Kalibo, Aklan.
Witnesses tagged Arcenio as the assailant who fled from the crime scene onboard a motorcycle driven by another man. Arcenio surrendered last month and is now detained at the Aklan Rehabilitation Center. — Fred P. Languido/MEEV