New witness names 3 gov't execs, 7 others

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines  — A new witness in the murder of Kabankalan regional trial court Judge Henry Arles has tagged three incumbent Negros Occidental officials, one of them the alleged mastermind, and seven suspects, one of them has been newly identified.

In her affidavit executed Aug. 20 and submitted to the Department of Justice last Thursday (Aug. 23), the witness named Ilog Mayor John Paul Alvarez as the alleged mastermind of the crime, with the alleged connivance of Cauayan town Vice Mayor Jerry Tabujara, and Vice Governor Genaro Alvarez Jr., who is the father of John Paul.

The witness also named a new suspect as Rustom Puro, unit commander of Revolutionary Proletarian Army—Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPA-ABB) in the 6th District, along with other suspects, namely Jessie “Dodoy” Daguia, Alejandro “Vincent” Capunong, Eddie “Lanlan” Fortunado, and Gerald Tabujara, all RPA-ABB members, Marvin Salve, vice commander of RPA-ABB in 6th District, and Emmanuel Medez, administrative aide of the Ilog municipal government.

Lawyer Frank Britanico, spokesperson of the Arles family who furnished the media a copy of the witness’ affidavit, said that, with the recent developments, there are now 11 suspects in the case: Daguia, Capunong, Fortunado, Salve, Tabujara, Medez, Mayor Alvarez, Puro, Vice Mayor Tabujara, Vice Governor Alvarez, and a “Jane Doe” who is yet to be named.

Britanico said the identity of the witness is being withheld pending her enrolment to the Witness Protection Program. He said that they have accomplished her papers, and she could be placed under the Witness Protection Program in a week’s time. For the meantime, he named the witness as “Honeybee,” a 35-year-old day-care teacher from Cauayan town and relative of Puro and Daguia.

Britanico said “Honeybee” voluntarily sought their help and offered to be a witness, after she received death threats from Puro and the other suspects.

Vice Governor Alvarez denied “Honeybee’s” allegation saying it was a “diversionary tactic” and “fairy tale,” while Tabujara said it was “ridiculous and politically motivated.”

In media interviews earlier, the mayor and the vice governor vehemently denied any participation to the crime.