Decision on Cervantes’ murder out today

The family of slain self-confessed Young Officers’ Union (YOU) spokesman Capt. Baron Cervantes is optimistic that they can finally get justice for his murder as the local court renders its decision today at the National Bureau of Prisons compound in Muntinlupa.

Rac Cervantes, Baron’s father, has sought the prayers and support of family and friends for a favorable verdict.

Regional Trial Court Judge Bonifacio Sanz Maceda is set to promulgate the case at 10 a.m. today against the accused — Joseph Morales, Erlindo Torres, Jaime Centeno, Superintendent Rafael Cardeno and Land Transportation Office executive Sonny Camacho.

Morales, Torres and Centeno were arrested by combined police operatives from Police Anti-Emergency Crime Task Force (PACER) separately while Cardeno and Camacho remain at large.

Three other suspects in the case were shot in an alleged encounter with local police and PACER operatives in Cavite City two years ago. The Cervantes family suspects that the three slain suspects identified as Diosdado Santos, Eugene Radam and Rodolfo Patinio were "silenced" to deter them from spilling the beans against the mastermind.

Baron was shot at close range on New Year’s Eve shortly after he stepped out of a 24-hour convenience store.