DOJ subpoenas Negros mayor, 6 other suspects in judge's slay

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – The Department of Justice (DOJ) has issued subpoenas for Ilog Mayor John Paul Alvarez and six other suspects in the murder of Kabankalan Regional Trial Court Judge Henry Arles.

Lawyer Frank Britanico, spokesman for the Arles family, yesterday said a DOJ staff member told them that the subpoenas were sent by mail to the seven suspects.

Britanico said that aside from Alvarez, the subpoenas were sent to Jessie Daguia, Alejandro Capunong, Eddie Fortunado, Marvin Salve and Gerald Tabujara of the Revolutionary Proletarian Army – Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPA-ABB) in the sixth district of Negros Occidental; and Emmanuel Medez, an aide of Salve. 

“As to the three other suspects – Vice Gov. Genaro Alvarez Jr. (father of John Paul), Cauayan Vice Mayor Jerry Tabujara and Rustom Puro, unit commander of the RPA-ABB in the sixth district, we expect their subpoena to be sent while preliminary investigation is ongoing,” he said.

 Arles was gunned down in Barangay Manalad in Ilog town while on his way home last April 24. 

A witness dubbed as “Honeybee” tagged Vice Gov. Alvarez, Tabujara and Puro.

Honeybee, in her affidavit submitted to the DOJ, said she collected the balance of P500,000 from Mayor Alvarez as payment for Puro, Salve and their men for the killing of Arles. 

The mayor, vice mayor, and vice governor denied the charges, saying it was politically motivated.