By Edwin G. Espejo
HERS was one of the more celebrated murder cases involving journalists in the country.
Hers was among the more recent ones.
Hers, too, was among the very few that led to the conviction of the assassins and in just a span of 17 months, a record by Philippine justice system standard. more
By Nini B. Cabaero
Beyond 30
Word on the guilty verdict handed down by the court on the three persons accused of killing journalist Marlene Garcia-Esperat spread like the proverbial wildfire through the different Philippine news websites last Friday.
A running account on one site was connected to another website. News websites changed their headline stories within minutes from the promulgation of the decision to carry reports on the guilty verdict. Finally, there was a positive outcome to the many pending cases over the killing of journalists. more
2:00 p.m. — The late Marlene Garcia-Esperat is the second journalist to get justice in Cebu City, Regional State Prosecutor Antonio Arellano said.
Trial of the case was transferred from Tacurong City in Sultan Kudarat to Cebu City after the Supreme Court granted the prosecution’s request for change of venue.
Arellano said the transfer of venue really helped in getting witnesses to testify against the suspects. The witnesses were also placed under the government’s witness protection program.
Last year, a Cebu court convicted Guillermo Wapille, a former police officer for the murder of Edgar Damalerio, managing editor and columnist of the weekly Zamboanga Scribe and commentator of radio dyKP.
Damalerio was killed on the night of May 13, 2002, while on his way home from a press conference.
Wapille who was sentenced to life imprisonment was sent back to Pagadian to face trial for another criminal charge.
The complete trial of Damalerio and Esperat lasted for eight months, Arellano said.
The Regional State Prosecutor vowed to monitor the developments of the convicts to ensure the delivery of complete justice.
1:41 p.m. – THE family of slain journalist Marlene Esperat was relieved by the court decision finding the journalist’s killers guilty of murder Friday.
Gerry Cabagay, Randy Grecia, and Estanislao Bismanos were convicted of murder for shooting to death Esperat by Cebu City Regional Trial Court Branch 21 Judge Eric Menchavez.
Valmie Garcia Mariveles, Esperat’s sister, said they are happy to have obtained partial justice for her sister.
Read full text of Judge Eric Menchavez’s decision here
12:40 p.m. – The lawyer of the late Marlene Garcia-Esperat filed a motion for reconsideration to reinstate the murder charge against the alleged masterminds, Osmena Montaner and Estrella Sabay.
Lawyer Nena Santos filed the motion after RTC Judge Eric Menchavez found the three suspects–Gerry Cabagay, Randy Grecia and Estanislao Bismanos–guilty of murdering Esperat in Tacurong, Sultan Kudarat on March 24, 2005. The three were found guilty of murder qualified by treachery and were sentenced to suffer the penalty of reclusion perpetua with the accessory penalties of the law.
11:00 a.m. — Three persons accused of shooting to death journalist and whistleblower Marlene Garcia-Esperat were convicted of murder charges by Cebu City Regional Trial Court Branch 21 Judge Eric Menchavez.
Menchavez in his decision read by clerk of court Maria Teresa Jaca finds Gerry Cabagay, Randy Grecia, and Estanislao Bismanos guilty of murder.
He further said in his decision that the element of treachery was present in the commission of the crime.
Esperat, 46, was a chemist who became an anti-corruption activist and columnist for the Midland Review, a community paper in central Mindanao.
She was gunned down on March 24, 2005, at her home in Tacurong City while taking supper as her daughter and two sons watched in horror.
10:50 a.m. — A court decision on the murder case filed against three suspects in the shooting to death of journalist and whistleblower Marlene Esperat finds that treachery was present in the commission of the crime.
Clerk of court Maria Teresa Jaca reads from the decision on Marlene Esperat’s murder case.
10:20 a.m. — Clerk of court Maria Teresa Jaca starts reading the decision on Marlene Esperat’s murder case. One of the suspects, Gerry Cabagay, cries when Jaca reaches the portion of the decision that identified him as the gunman.
Esperat’s kids listen attentively to the reading.
10:05 a.m. — Wearing black shirts printed with the words “Justice for Marlene Esperat,” relatives of slain journalist and whistleblower Marlene Esperat arrive at the Regional Trial Court Branch 21 in Cebu City.
With them are personnel from the Department of Justice.
10 a.m. — The three suspects in journalist Marlene Esperat’s murder arrive at the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 21 in Cebu City for the reading of the decision in the case against them.
They were escorted by six heavily armed jail guards.