High Court closely monitors slain judge’s case

SUPREME Court (SC) Administrator Midas Marquez said officials of the High Court are closely monitoring the case of slain Kabankalan Regional Trial Court Judge Henry Arles.

Marquez said the murder of Arles was committed in line with the judge's official duty to uphold justice in the country. He said the highest court closely monitors the Department of Justice, the Philippine National Police and the Bureau of Investigation, which are now in charge of the case.

He also said that he personally visited the wake of the slain judge in Bacolod City, where he also announced the reward of P200,000 by the Philippine Justices Foundation.

There are guidelines set on the giving of such reward for the early resolution of the case, Marquez said, adding the reward was not yet released.

He said that based on the guidelines, half of the P200,000 reward will be released once the case is filed in court and the remaining P100,000 will be released after the resolution of the case.

The Arles family has also offered an additional P1 million reward for information that can lead to the arrest of the suspects.

Marquez said they are still waiting for the Department of Justice's (DOJ) resolution on Arles’ murder.

A case for murder was already filed by lawyer Albert Arles and Philip Arles, sons of the slain judge, based on the recommendation of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) against Ilog Mayor Paul Alvarez, Jessie Daguia, Alejandro Capunong, Eddie Fotunado, Emmanuel "Eman" Medez who is an employee of the Ilog municipal government, and RPA-ABB members Marvin Salve and Gerald Gallano Tabujara.

Daguia, Capunong and Fotunado are under NBI custody in Manila, while Medez, Salve and Tabujara are still at large.

The preliminary hearing is set to be conducted by the DOJ once the said suspects submit their counter affidavits.

The notices are expected to be received by the suspects within this week, said NBI Bacolod head lawyer Ferdinand Lavin.