Grenade-lobbing suspect seeks dismissal of case

CEBU - A job order employee of Tudela denied the accusation that he and three others lobbed a hand grenade at the Tudela Police Station three months ago, claiming that the witness against them was just tortured to testify.

Rolito Mariamonte, Jr. said that the attempted murder case filed before the Cebu Provincial Prosecutors’ Office against him, Pablito Diocampo, Marlito Montero and Arnold Diocampo should be dismissed.

Mariamonte said that Arnold has already recanted his earlier admission to the crime and implicated him and the other respondents.

In his four-page counter-affidavit, Mariamonte said the other witness, Chito Jesus Garciano, who also tagged and the other respondents, have an axe to grind against because he is a political supporter of Demetrio Granada.

According to Mariamonte, Garciano was made witness because his father was terminated as job order employee after Granada took over as mayor of Tudela based on a court decision.

Mariamonte said Garciano’s affidavit was allegedly tailored by the police anticipating that Arnold would recant his affidavit. He claimed that the police allegedly anticipated Arnold’s withdrawal of his admission because they knew that Arnold was just forced to admit because of torture.

Mariamonte said they have already filed a case against the policemen who allegedly tortured Arnold.

He said it is impossible that they, supporters of Granada, would throw a grenade at the police station because they were not aggrieved by the presence of the Special Reaction Unit in the town.

In fact, it was allegedly Granada who requested for it from Governor Gwendolyn Garcia when he took over the municipal hall.

Arnold earlier confessed to the July 5 grenade throwing at the Tudela Police Station and tagged Diocampo as the alleged mastermind in crime. Arnold said he was paid P5,000 by Diocampo.

Arnold said that Diocampo told him that he wanted to throw a grenade at the police station to teach the policemen a lesson.

Arnold’s younger brother, Marlito, was the one who threw the grenade while Mariamonte allegedly acted as the driver of the getaway motorcycle.

Arnold said that they were paid P1,500 as down payment while the P3,500 balance was given after the plan was carried out. — Fred P. Languido/LPM (THE FREEMAN)