Tata Negro's "killer" gets PAO lawyer

CEBU, Philippines – Lawyer Jerry Robertson Mira of the Public Attorney's Office who was appointed as counsel of Jimmy Diala who allegedly shot to death Crisostomo "Tata Ne-gro" Llaguno last May, asked the court for ample time to prepare the necessary documents for the defense.

Mira told The FREEMAN that he asked for an ample time to prepare the documents and to undergo first Diala for a preliminary conference before he may pro-ceed to the pre-trial.

"After the arraignment Diala didn't undergo a preliminary conference in order to proceed for pre-trial. He must undergo first a preliminary conference," Mira said.

Diala appeared in court yesterday without assistance from a lawyer, when asked by Paderanga if he had lawyer he said there's none and he is willing to have a lawyer from PAO.

Mira voluntarily presented himself as a lawyer of Diala as he was already there in the sala of Judge Sylva Paderanga of Regional Trial Court Branch 16, assist-ing another accused.

Paderanga then appointed him as lawyer of Diala and granted his pleadings for an ample time since the prosecution was all ready with its documents.

The supposed pre-trial of the murder case and illegal possession of firearms against Diala were reset on September 2, 2010.

Private prosecutor Gloria Dalawampu acts as the counsel for the prosecution.

Earlier, Diala, assisted by lawyer Chezie Demigillo, entered a not guilty plea in the killing of Tata Negro.

Diala, 40, comes from Barangay Casalaan, Siaton, Negros Oriental. The police arrested him after he allegedly shot Llaguno during a campaign sortie in Baran-gay Lorega San Miguel, Cebu City three months ago. Earlier reports said that Llaguno was about to shake Diala's hand when a shot was fired.

Llaguno or Tata Negro had figured in previous reports for being in the authorities' illegal drugs watchlist. Because of this, Mayor Michael Rama's friendship with him was used as an election issue.

According to earlier reports, Diala claimed to be an asset of the Philippine Army in his town and had confessed he was hired to kill Llaguno. He had said his family's life was threatened if he refused.

"I was told Tata Negro was a drug lord and that there was a bounty on his head," he was earlier quoted as saying.

Diala was a farmer in Negros and came to Cebu last April after he was assured of a construction job. Instead of getting the promised work, he was allegedly shown a photograph of Llaguno and the assassination plan was supposedly made the day he arrived in Cebu. (FREEMAN)