Archival ambush-slay: Cebu City judge to try charges vs 3 HPG men

CEBU, Philippines – A new judge has been tasked to handle the multiple murder and frustrated murder charges against the three Highway Patrol Group officials accused in the ambush-slaying of lawyer Noel Archival and two of his companions in 2014.

Regional Trial Court Judge Sylva Paderanga was picked to try the charges against Senior Superintendent Romualdo Iglesias, Senior Inspector Joselito Lerion, and Police Officer 1 Alex Bacani.

The three were tagged in the killing of Archival, his driver Alejandro Jayme, and bodyguard Candido Miñoza on February 18, 2014 in Barangay Coro, Dalaguete, Cebu. Another assistant, Paolo Cortes, survived the ambush.

The cases were raffled off to Paderanga on Monday following the directive from the Supreme Court to transfer the venue of the trial from Argao to Cebu City.

Teresita Aquino-Tuazon, deputy division clerk of court of the Supreme Court Second Division, ordered the transfer of the records of the cases from the RTC in Argao to Cebu City.

Cebu City Councilor Nestor Archival, brother of the slain lawyer, earlier petitioned before the high tribunal for the transfer of the trial to Cebu City following the inhibition of RTC Branch 26 Judge Maximo Perez in Argao.

Perez issued the warrant of arrest against the three accused before he inhibited himself from hearing the cases. The accused remained at large. —/FPL (FREEMAN)