Manero back in jail in Sarangani

ALABEL, Sarangani - Convicted priest-killer Norberto Manero Jr. is back in jail.

After being granted conditional pardon by President Estrada last December on recommendation of the Board of Pardons and Parole, Manero was rearrested on the strength of a standing warrant relating to an archived double murder with kidnapping case.

Manero had already spent 11 years in the National Penitentiary in Muntinlupa City after being convicted of the murder of Italian priest Tullio Favali in Tulunan, North Cotabato on April 11, 1985.

In the dusted off case, Manero was ordered jailed at 11:05 a.m. yesterday by Judge Jaime Infante of Branch 38 of the Regional Trial Court here on the basis of a warrant for his arrest issued in 1977.

Also ordered arrested were his wife, Leonarda Diesto-Manero, his brother, Artemio, and Job Tolentino and Larry Gonzaga.

Twenty-three years ago, Manero was charged in court with the kidnapping and murder of brothers Ali and Mambawatan Mamlumpong in Polomok, South Cotabato on Nov. 5, 1977.

The case was reopened last week after being archived in 1981. It was reportedly archived following Manero's escape from military custody.

Manero, popularly known as Kumander Bucay, arrived in General Santos City on board a Philippine Airlines flight at 8:15 a.m. last Sunday.

He was accompanied by his common law wife, Evelyn, and lawyer, Ruben Platon. He was turned over to regional police director Chief Superintendent Manuel Raval by two agents of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force, who had escorted him from Manila.

Manero was temporarily held at the regional police headquarters in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat before being taken to the provincial jail yesterday morning.

He appeared in court at 9:45 a.m., along with his lawyer and police escorts led by Sultan Kudarat police director Superintendent Augustus Salvador.

He appeared calm when presented to Judge Infante for the issuance of the commitment order.

In an interview with reporters, Manero denied all allegations against him, particularly his alleged acts of cannibalism.

"I hope the media would not judge me," he said in Pilipino.

He also rejected accusations of killing, saying they were all "legitimate military operations."

"I want to lead a peaceful life," he said in the vernacular.

Earlier, Manero said he is now a reformed man and that he is no longer the dreaded Kumander Bucay, who headed the local paramilitary unit in the 70s.

Manero's counsel, Ruben Platon said he would ask the court to void the warrant of arrest issued in 1977 by the late Judge Pedro Animas of the then Court of First Instance of South Cotabato.

He would also ask for another preliminary investigation after the case is refiled by relatives of the victim.