Witness in Dalaig murder to be placed under WPP

The prime witness in the killing of the former chief of the legal department of the Commission on Elections will be placed under the government’s Witness Protection Program (WPP), following reports that she is contemplating to withdraw as a witness due to fear for her life.

In an interview, the witness confirmed her intention to withdraw her statements given to police after seeing armed men casing her house for several nights.

“I constantly live in fear. I transferred from one place to another to escape detection,” the witness told The STAR.

After hearing her complaint, Chief Inspector Dominador Arevalo Jr. who heads the homicide section of the Manila Police District (MPD), fetched the witness from her hiding place and volunteered to secure her.

“We informed the witness that we are already working for her inclusion in the government’s Witness Protection Program. However, the processing takes time, so for the meantime the police will secure her person,” Arevalo said.

One of the requirements for inclusion in the WPP is the signature of the investigating fiscal, which “we do not have yet for the moment since the investigation have yet to start,” according to Arevalo.

Director Geary Barrias, chief of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), and MPD director Chief Superintendent Roberto Rosales  also pledged financial and logistical assistance to the witness while under the custody of the MPD. The witness also lamented her inability to earn nowadays since she was constantly on the run. “I do not want to be a parasite or depend on someone for a living. I want to earn on my own,” she said.

Arevalo said the police are now mulling work incentive for the witness so she can earn on her own. For the meantime, the NCRPO will continue to shoulder the witness’ personal needs, he added.

The witness has positively identified Police Officer 1 Basser Ampatuan, who is now in police custody, as the gunman in the murder of lawyer Alioden Dalaig on the night of Nov. 10 as he was crossing the street on his way to a casino at the Hyatt Hotel in Ermita.