|
Thursday, October 23, 2003
Dongail’s arrest ‘legal’
By Roberto L. Bacasong, Avelyn Z. Agudon and Claudine C. Dumalag
Dongail, former Bacolod City Police Office Station 2 Chief, was arrested for his alleged link in the Salabas-Suganob-Lumoljo multiple kidnap-slay case.
Dongail’s counsel, Lawyer Ernesto Treyes, Jr., however, said they will file a motion questioning MCTC Judge Hector Barillo’s denial of their motion to quash the warrant of arrest against his client.
Treyes insisted that there was no hearing prior to the denial of the motion.
He also believes that the court’s ruling denying their plea is clear violation of due process.
Guihulngan MCTC Acting Clerk Hinsel Ho, however, told SUN.STAR Bacolod that Barillo’s ruling supports the legitimacy of Dongail’s arrest.
The same court issued the arrest warrant last Oct. 2 versus Dongail, which was served by operatives of the local National Bureau of Investigation, headed by Lawyer Celso Estorga.
Estorga’s group collared Dongail on the evening of Oct. 3 for charges of kidnapping with murder.
The victims were former Brgy. Pahanocoy village head Eleuterio “Dodong” Salabas and his companions 2nd Mate Ricardo Suganob, Maritime instructor from Cagayan de Oro City and Salabas’ nephew, Maximo Lumoljo, of Misamis Occidental.
Ho, meanwhile, said they already sent a copy of the court’s decision to the respondent, although Treyes said they are yet to receive one.
Treyes further said the first hearing on the case was supposed to be held yesterday but was postponed to Nov. 12 due to the inavailability of the witness, Luisito Gersaniba, Sr., and members of the Salabas family.
Dongail is linked to the multiple kidnap-slay along with a certain “Dodong” and 15 others.
Debt angle
The latest twist on the case was when the Salabas family filed a case for kidnapping with murder against Casino Filipino financier, Manolo Escalante, of Sta. Clara Subdivision, Bacolod.
Lawyer Renecio Espiritu, counsel of Salabas’ widow, Dr. Elizabeth Orola-Salabas, challenged Escalante to prove his innocence in court.
“The more suspects, the merrier,” said Espiritu.
Last Oct. 16, Salabas filed an amended complaint against Dongail, an alias “Dodong” and Escalante, before the Guihulngan MCTC.
‘I don't know him'
Gersaniba, however, said he has no idea of any involvement of Casino Filipino financier Manolo Escalante to the multiple kidnap-slay case.
Estorga, for his part, neither denied nor confirmed that Escalante is one of the 15 unidentified suspects charged with multiple kidnapping with murder along with Dongail.
Estorga said Gersaniba of Brgy. 2, never mentioned Escalante’s involvement.
He added they do not have hard evidence against Escalante and that the criminal charges filed against the latter was based only on the testimony of Dr. Salabas.
Dongail, on the other hand, said he does not personally know Escalante.
Reportedly, Salabas failed to pay his P300,000 debt with interest of two percent per day to the Casino financier.
Charges against Dongail
The NBI also filed last Oct. 14 charges of two counts of kidnapping with murder against Dongail and 15 others who remain unidentified before the Bacolod City Prosecutor’s Office on the death of Suganob and Lumoljo.
Estorga said, based on their investigation, at around 12 midnight of August 31, Dongail and the 15 John Does who were riding in a red Toyota Revo and white Mazda 323 “surprisingly” blocked the way of Salabas, Suganob and Lumoljo.
Dongail and his unidentified companions then forcibly brought the victims to different secluded places in Negros Island.
After two days Suganob’s body was found in Bago City, Negros Occidental then the following day Lumoljo’s body was found in Pulupandan.
Salabas’ decomposed body, on the other hand, was found Sept. 19 in Punta Buri, Ajuy, Iloilo City.
Estorga said a separate case was filed against Dongail based on the complaint of Suganob’s wife, Elizabeth.
(October 22, 2003 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here.
|
|
[ return
to top ]
[ home
]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
|
