Christmas wish of Cervantes family: ‘Justice for Baron’

If there is a Christmas wish that the family of slain self-styled Young Officers Union (YOU) spokesman Baron Cervantes want to be granted, it is justice for the death of their son a year ago.

Rac Cervantes, father of Baron, lamented that it seems the wheel of justice is moving slowly against them because the Philippine National Police (PNP) has yet to pin down the mastermind in the killing.

"The real Christmas wish is for our son, Baron, to finally get justice," Cervantes told The STAR in a text message. He lamented that despite the assurance from PNP chief Director General Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. a few months ago – during a meeting with President Arroyo at Malacañang, that all of his son’s killers will be put behind bars, the real culprits remain at large.

The elder Cervantes also expressed his fervent wish to President Arroyo that all government officials work together in harmony to be able to adhere to a strong republic.

"(I) wish our government officials adhere to Christian values, then we can really have a strong and clean republic," he said.

As Christmas Day nears, Cervantes urged police investigators anew to move a step further in the Baron Cervantes slay.

The Cervantes family will commemorate Baron’s death on Dec. 31 with a 10 a.m. mass at the Manila Memorial Park in Sucat, Parañaque. "We will just have a mass, a short program and have lunch there," the elder Cervantes said.

The defunct National Anti-kidnapping Task Force (NAKTAF) earlier arrested three men whom they claimed confessed their involvement in the killing of Cervantes along Alabang-Zapote-Road in Parañaque on New Year’s even last year. But in the pre-trial proceedings at the Parañaque Regional Trial Court (RTC) last month, the three accused asked the Court to cancel their first affidavit after pleading not guilty on the accusations.

In their earlier statements to the NAKTAF and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), which conducted the joint investigation, self-confessed gunman Joseph Mostrales implicated Young Officers Union (YOU) founder Senior Superintendent Rafael Cardeño in the murder.

All three accused remained detained at the Police Anti-Crime Emergency Response (PACER), formerly the NAKTAF, at Camp Crame in Quezon City. – Christina Mendez