3 more Degamo suspects retracting

MANILA, Philippines — Three more alleged gunmen in the killing of Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo and nine others are ready to withdraw their first sworn statements that implicated suspended lawmaker Arnolfo Teves Jr.

Danny Villanueva, lawyer of four accused in the Degamo killing, said former soldiers Romel Pattaguan, Dahniel Lora and Rogelio Antipolo Jr. are prepared to execute their affidavits of recantation.

On Monday, Jhudiel Osmundo Rivero, another client of Villanueva’s, executed his counter-affidavit containing his recantation.

“The four have executed their respective affidavits of recantation. Rivero submitted his counter-affidavit yesterday at the Department of Justice (DOJ),” Villanueva said.

DOJ Unfazed

As this developed, the DOJ is unfazed by the recantations made by at least four suspects in the Degamo case, saying that while these will not affect the case, these will affect the credibility of the suspects in prospective proceedings.

Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Richard Fadullon said the pieces of evidence that the DOJ have against Teves are solid enough “to see the case through to the end.”

“To say that they recanted, assuming that we received copies already, doesn’t mean that the recantations will prove that the earlier statements they gave are actually untrue. I can assure you that there is more than enough evidence to pin down the accused in these cases,” Fadullon told journalists yesterday.

The four suspects are facing multiple counts of murder and frustrated murder before a court in Negros Oriental along with alleged ringleader and former reservist Marvin Miranda as well as ex-soldiers Winrich Isturis, Eulogio Gonyon Jr., John Louie Gonyon, Joven Javier, Joric Labrador and Benjie Rodriguez.

Villanueva said the panel of prosecutors handling the Degamo killing has yet to accept the recantations due to procedural requirements.

“They haven’t accepted it yet. But according to the state prosecutor conducting the preliminary investigation, we can submit it online after we attach all the required documents,” Villanueva said.

In his five-page counter-affidavit, Rivero accused the Philippine National Police (PNP) of beating and “torturing” him into tagging Teves as the mastermind of the attack on Degamo’s residence on March 4.

Rivero accused his public attorney of telling him to “give in to what the police want so I would not get hurt further.”

The PNP dared Rivero to substantiate his allegations that police officers tortured him into tagging Teves as the mastermind in the killing.

Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan, PNP public information office chief, said Rivero should show proof that he was beaten up and tortured by policemen.

He reminded Rivero that an allegation should be backed by concrete evidence.

“One thing is clear, he was arrested ad charged before the court,” Maranan said.

All cases related to what is now being called the Pamplona Massacre that were filed in Negros Oriental will be heard at the Manila Regional Trial Court after the Supreme Court cleared the way for the transfer of proceedings.

Heavier sanction

House ethics committee chairman Rep. Felimon Espares said Teves’ continued absence and defiance to come home and face the charges is making his situation worse.

With his action, Teves, in effect, is giving the House no choice but to impose another sanction that may have a more severe penalty than his 60-day suspension, which lapsed yesterday.

“If he comes home, maybe the committee will not proceed anymore. But he still remains outside the country based on an expired travel authority. And that is an unauthorized absence,” Espares said.

“We all know this is about his continuing absence. He is still not here, which simply means his absence remains unauthorized,” he added.

Another panel official, vice chair Rep. Ria Vergara of the third district of Nueva Ecija, said Teves’ “continuous unauthorized absence is continuous disorderly conduct.”

Espares said they have contacted Teves about the case, but citing committee rules, he refused to give details about their communication.

He said the committee has made recommendations regarding the matter, but this is expected to be subjected to a plenary vote next week before the House goes on a recess on June 2.

Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez earlier warned and notified Teves that he would be compelled to impose the most severe sanction should the Visayan lawmaker continue to refuse to return home.

“This is our recourse in order to preserve the dignity, integrity and reputation of the House,” Romualdez said, in effect serving notice that the House may opt to impose the most severe penalty, which is expulsion.

Romualdez did not use the word “expulsion,” but this is the next step after suspension. – Delon Porcalla, Emmanuel Tupas