Satur to surface within three days to clear name

Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo is expected to come out in the next three days to face the murder charges filed against him in court for his alleged involvement in a New People’s Army purge in Leyte more than 20 years ago.

In an interview at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Manila yesterday, Romeo Capulong, Ocampo’s legal counsel, said his client will face the allegations against him at the "proper time" to clear his name.

"He will initiate the process," he said. "He is working on his papers and helping in his own defense."

Capulong spoke at the sidelights of the hearing on the disqualification cases against party-list groups Bayan Muna, Gabriela and Anakpawis.

Capulong said Ocampo will question before the Supreme Court in the next days the warrant for his arrest issued by the Leyte Regional Trial Court.

The arrest warrant against Ocampo and the disqualification case against Bayan Muna, Gabriela and Anakpawis are part of a grand conspiracy to ensure the defeat of progressive party-list groups in the May 14 elections, he added.

On the other hand, Senate President Manuel Villar Jr. said in a statement the government must accord Ocampo the courtesy and respect befitting an elected public official and not treat him as a common criminal.

"The law itself says a person is considered innocent until proven guilty," he said.

"Congressman Satur should not be subjected to trial by publicity. He should be provided with the due process of the law like any citizen of the country. He should have his day in court and his human rights should not be violated."

In a statement, Sen. Joker Arroyo said there is "something grievously wrong" with the warrants for the arrest of Ocampo, as well as the continued detention of Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran for crimes allegedly committed during martial law.

"The Armed Forces must restrain itself from digging into the past which was intended to be buried by past administrations," he said. "The armed services must rethink its position. It has a responsibility to protect the state and the people from current elements that would want to subvert its authority; at the same time, it has also a duty to adhere to established government policy that what is past is past, otherwise, there will be no stability in government policy."

Arroyo said when President Corazon Aquino assumed power in 1986, she lifted suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus.

"That operated to free all political prisoners who were incarcerated in various military stockades," he said. "That amounted to a policy statement that those who were arrested and detained for going against the martial law authorities were free for so long as this time they did not go against the present (Aquino) government."

Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero Pichay said in a press conference in Cainta, Rizal it would be unfair to tag the executive branch as the one behind the arrest warrant.

"We have the separation of powers between the executive and the judiciary but of course government critics will say they see the Palace hand in this," he said.

In a statement, Sen. Ralph Recto said the arrest warrant for Ocampo at a time when extrajudicial killings of activists remained unsolved might push them to go underground.

"If we don’t give them space and push them against the wall, they will go underground in droves and apply their talents in energizing their movement," he said.

"This is what happened after the declaration of martial law, when mass arrests triggered an exodus of otherwise peaceful reformers into the path of armed resistance."

Bukidnon Rep. Juan Miguel Zubiri said due process of law must be observed on the murder charges against Ocampo.

"Every man must have his day in court," he said.

"He must be heard and tried before he is condemned and convicted. And if he is acquitted, those who have raised false charges against him must be sanctioned because in our society, we must not play trifle with a man’s reputation."

Former senator Loren Legarda said in a statement that she is confident that justice will prevail in Ocampo’s case, and that the innocent would be exonerated and due punishment would be meted the guilty.

"Due process of law should always be observed as it protects the rights of the accused persons while upholding the mandate of the state to enforce the law with impartiality and fairness," she said.

In a statement, the Promotion of Church People’s Response believes the arrest warrant against Ocampo is "mere harassment and part of government’s tactics" to campaign against Bayan Muna and other progressive party-list groups taking part in the May 14 elections.

"The real murderers are those in the halls of power who are afraid of Bayan Muna’s politics of change," the group said.

"They are the ones who must be arrested and prosecuted for abducting, killing and threatening to kill hundreds of leaders and members of Bayan Muna and other cause-oriented groups.

"In the face of escalating repression against the progressive party-list groups, the Comelec is proving its failure again to stop electioneering and other serious violations of election rules committed by the military, particularly in campaigning in favor of pro-Arroyo candidates and against candidates critical of the administration."

At Malacañang, National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales said yesterday Ocampo has to turn himself in as soon as possible and face the courts because the charges against him are very serious.

"The murder charges against Ocampo are so serious that they can be considered crimes against humanity," he said.

"Being a member of Congress, I don’t think he should wait to be arrested. The sooner he turns himself in, the better for him and the victims’ families.

"How can you fake 62 skeletons? No less than the families of the victims are complaining. He (Ocampo) is saying that these things happened a long time ago, but it doesn’t matter if the murders happened 100 years ago because this is serious and the families are crying out for justice."

On the other hand, Human Rights Commissioner Wilhelm Soriano advised yesterday Ocampo to surface and face the murder charges against him by alleged victims of summary execution in Leyte.

"I am urging Hon. Satur Ocampo to go to the legal process so that he could clear his name in the proper forum, not elsewhere," he said.

Soriano however said Ocampo must first submit himself to the courts before he could present his arguments.

"He must avail the legal processes," he said.

Meanwhile, Philippine National Police chief Director General Oscar Calderon warned individuals coddling Ocampo that they will face charges in court.

On orders of Calderon, police nationwide have been furnished with a copy of the arrest order against Ocampo, Sison and 52 other CPP-NPA officials and members.

"Our justice system assures the accused personalities of their day in court, unlike their alleged victims who were summarily butchered without the benefit of a fair trial," said PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Samuel Pagdilao.

Chief Superintendent Geary Barias, Directorate for Investigative and Detective Management director, is optimistic that Ocampo will keep his promise to surface and face the charges in three to four days.

"He will still be handcuffed just like any other arrested individuals, that is part of the police procedure," he said.

Barias said the police will launch a manhunt to arrest the lawmaker.

"This is a normal police activity," he said.

On the other hand, the National Bureau of Investigation believes that Ocampo is still in Metro Manila.

Lawyer Ruel Lasala, NBI National Capital Region director, said he has formed five teams to pinpoint the whereabouts of Ocampo and arrest him.

"If he is willing to surrender, the NBI is willing to take him into custody," he said. "I think he is still in Metro Manila. We encourage him to surrender to prove that he is innocent." – With Aurea Calica, Delon Porcalla, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Perseus Echeminada, Paolo Romero, Edu Punay, Evelyn Macairan