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Thursday, September 22, 2005
Wenceslao: Twist in Maylen Laputan’s case
By Bong O. Wenceslao
If the statements and actuation of Carcar cops and Acting Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) Director Vicente Loot were to be used as gauge, then there is reason to worry over how they investigated the rape and killing of 13-year-old Maylen Laputan.
In the latest twist of the case, witness Ronnie Tabora admitted to a Commission on Human Rights (CHR) 7 official that he did participate in the crime. This was contrary to his claim in his affidavit that was used by the Carcar police in filing cases against Maylen’s father Maximo and her uncle Concordio.
Instead of being concerned, Loot defended Tabora by echoing the latter's story that he was forced to participate in the crime. Apparently, Loot and the Carcar police found it difficult to accept that what Maximo's wife Diomedes has been insisting---that Tabora was guilty of the crime---may have some truth in it.
Tabora's admission also places in a different perspective an earlier claim by Diomedes that an important piece of evidence---a bloodied pair of khaki shorts believe to be owned by Tabora---was not given much importance by police investigators.
That piece of clothing, which seems to have been lost after the Carcar police's claim that it has been turned over to the National Bureau of Investigation 7 was denied by the latter, would have acquired added significance by now.
What Loot and the Carcar police should understand is that investigating the Laputan rape/slay incident is about truth and not about egos; it is about accepting new evidence and changing conclusions, if needed, and not defending to the death earlier assumptions.
***
Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal may not have been direct about it, but his announcement that he will only use the South Coastal Road once "everybody's car is able to pass through" is a dig at Cebu City Hall's selective opening of the facility to traffic.
It also a verbalizing of the stance of thousands of other commuters who have refused to get City Hall-issued passes for the same reason used by Vidal.
Actually, there is no love lost between the cardinal and Mayor Tomas Osmeña, as they have different opinions on many issues, but the mayor should consider the prelate's point in assessing whether the closure of the road should continue.
TEXTREAX. From Darlyn V. Nueva: “I’m also from Pinamungajan, and I can attest to the fact that former governor Pablo Garcia accomplished many projects when he was congressman of the Third district than Rep. Antonio Yapha. Wa ra siya sa kumingking ni Garcia, uy.”
(khanwens@yahoo.com/0927-2055064)
(September 22, 2005 issue)
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