Pacificador cleared of 1984 murder raps

ILOILO CITY – Former assemblyman Arturo Pacificador was acquitted yesterday of multiple murder and frustrated murder charges in connection with the killing of seven supporters of former Antique governor Evelio Javier on the eve of the Batasang Pambansa elections in 1984.

Pacificador told The STAR in a telephone interview yesterday he was overjoyed with his acquittal. He said he will run for governor of Antique in the May elections and will file his certificate of candidacy before the Feb. 28 deadline.

However, the Marcos ally remains in jail awaiting the court’s decision on whether he killed Javier on Feb. 11, 1986 while the governor was campaigning for Corazon Aquino and Salvador Laurel in the snap presidential elections.

On the other hand, Undersecretary Salvacion Zaldivar-Perez of the Office of the Legislative Liaison Office told The STAR yesterday she was "shocked" by the court’s decision.

"All the other convicted gunmen are already in Muntinlupa serving their sentences," she said. "How could Pacificador be spared, he is the strongest man in Antique at that time and no one could command the convicted gunmen except him?" she asked.

Zaldivar-Perez said she will run against Pacificador for governor of Antique in May.

In a 102-page decision, Judge Neri Duremdes of Antique Regional Trial Court, Branch 11 said the prosecution failed to prove Pacificador’s guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

The STAR learned that Pacificador is now staying in a nipa hut within the grounds of the 1.4-hectare Antique provincial jail but outside the main prison building.

Pacificador’s six co-accused in the Javier murder case were tried and convicted on March 7, 1985 and four are now serving life terms at the National Penitentiary in Muntinlupa City.

The fifth, along with Pacificador, is awaiting in the Antique provincial jail the court’s verdict in the Javier murder case, while the sixth reportedly died inside the National Penitentiary years ago.

The five remaining accomplices are Constabulary Sgt. Enrico Cabañero, C2C Reynaldo Alopala, Army Pfc. Vicente Vegafria, Police Cpl. Hector Fullon, and Pat. Lorenzo Mingote.

Pacificador was not tried and convicted with the six because he had been in hiding since the overthrow of Marcos in the 1986 people power revolt at EDSA and only surrendered on March 8, 1995 to then Philippine National Police chief Director General Recaredo Sarmiento.

During the trial, the six were not granted bail for their temporary liberty, while a P100,000 bail was recommended for Pacificador who was in hiding.

Pacificador had a face-off with Javier before the 1984 Batasang Pambansa elections when Javier, who was a candidate for Antique congressman of the Nacionalista Party, challenged Pacificador, who was running for re-election under the banner of the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan.

Javier’s seven followers were killed in a clash with supporters of Pacificador at Sibalom Bridge on May 13, 1984, the eve of the Batasang Pambansa elections.

Killed were Col. Rhuim Sanchez, NP chairman in Antique; Plaridel Sanchez IV, Aldrick Sanchez, Mamerto Zaldivar Jr., Clemente Samulde, Abner Varon, Marcos Yee, Jonathan Gallo, and Armelito Tamboong.