Negros lawmaker faces murder raps

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – The Office of the Ombudsman has denied the petition of Negros Occidental Rep. Melecio Yap and 14 others to dismiss the murder and frustrated murder charges filed against them.

In a resolution released recently, the ombudsman ordered the filing of charges against the respondents over their alleged involvement in suspected extrajudicial killings in Escalante City in 2007 and 2010 when Yap was mayor.

In his motion for reconsideration, Yap argued that the allegations were baseless and politically motivated.

The alleged victims were identified as Ferjun Damalerio, Armando Lutrago, Eric Matugas, Jury Alsado Sr. and  Fernando Damalerio.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales approved the recommendation of graft investigation and prosecution officer Laurrie Layne Cristobal dismissing the petition of the respondents not to give probative value to the sworn statements of Evonie Baynosa and Irving Taberros, who filed the complaints.

Cristobal said the ombudsman is mandated to act on complaints against erring public officers.

On the filing of the complaints three years after the incident and a few weeks before the 2013 elections, Cristobal said the delay does not automatically discredit the complainants.