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Saturday, February 15, 2003
Charge Medel, Strunk: DOJ
THE American husband of Nida Blanca and his alleged hired hit man Philip Medel should be charged with murder for the death of the movie actress, state prosecutors said yesterday.
Blanca, famous for a 51-year career on stage, screen and television, was stabbed to death in a high-rise parking lot in Manila in November 2001.
In resolving to file the charges against Rod Lauren Strunk and Medel, the Department of Justice (DOJ) used the confession of Medel.
Although Medel later recanted, saying he had been tortured, the prosecutors said medical examinations had found no evidence to back his claim.
They also cited testimony that Medel told his landlady about Blanca’s death even before it came out in the news.
Strunk left for the United States after his wife’s remains were buried, saying he was going on vacation.
His present whereabouts are unknown.
He and Blanca were reportedly having disagreements over property and money when she was buried.
The government’s failure to quickly resolve her murder has been used as a symbol of the poor performance of the justice system.
“I think the prosecutors of the DOJ wanted very much to humiliate themselves before the court of record,” said Medel’s lawyer Salvador Panelo.
He said over ABS-CBN TV Patrol Manila that they should have been given a copy of the resolution of the case and 10 days in which to file an appeal before the justice department files the murder charge.
Lawyer Alma Malloga, Strunk’s counsel, shares Panelo’s view. She said that if the charge is based solely on the confession of Medel, it will never prosper.
The DOJ said Medel was seen roaming the Atlanta Center shortly after Blanca’s dead body was discovered at the parking lot of the building.
Medel insisted that he is innocent but he expected the charge because the case has been widely politicized.
“Hindi ako natatakot mamatay (I’m not afraid to die), but I want this Nida Blanca case terminated. I want to clear my name,” he said in a TV report. (AFP)/Allan I. Varquez
(February 15, 2003 issue)
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