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Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Cebu court ready for Esperat trial
Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Eric Men-chavez and the prosecutors are ready for the trial of a high-profile media case transferred to Cebu City from Sultan Kudarat.
The trial starts this morning before the sala of Menchavez.
According to Regional State Prosecutor Antonio Arellano, the prosecution hopes to present today a witness, in their bid to reverse the Sultan Kudarat RTC’s dismissal of the murder case filed against two alleged masterminds.
Marlene Garcia-Esperat, a Department of Agriculture (DA) chemist and a columnist, was killed inside her room in Purok Ilang-ilang, Barangay Isabela, Tacurong City last March 24.
The murder suspects are Estanislao Bismanos, Rowie Barua, Gerry Cabayag and Randy Grecia.
But the Department of Justice wants alleged masterminds Osmeña Montañer and Estrella Sabay impleaded in the case.
“We hope to present the witness to show that there was an error in dismissing the case against the alleged masterminds,”
Regional State Prosecutor Antonio Arellano said yesterday.
State witness
Bismanos, in an interview with Sun.Star Cebu, said he wants to turn state witness and testify against Montañer and Sablay. He identified them as the ones who ordered and financed the hit.
Montañer is the DA 12 finance officer and Sablay is the regional accountant.
Bismanos, a former Army man and member of the defunct Philippine Constabulary, and his two co-accused have been in Cebu since Jan. 23. They were transported from the General Santos City jail.
“We got paid P120,000. We took half immediately after agreeing to the killing and the balance after the shooting. We then traveled for home,” Bismanos said.
He said he was not told who the target was until late in the planning stage. He was also never informed that Esperat was a journalist.
Esperat exposed the alleged corruption in the DA in Region 12.
Last year, she filed a case against DA officials led by former secretary Arthur Yap and former undersecretary Jocelyn Bolante, alleging that the DA had bought overpriced fertilizer and that the funds were used in the 2004 election campaign of President Arroyo.
Whitewash
The Senate committee on food and agriculture and the Office of the Ombudsman are looking into the P728-million fertilizer fund.
For fear of a whitewash after the dismissal of the case against Montañer and Sablay, the Esperat family asked the Supreme Court that the trial be transferred outside Tacurong City.
A panel of prosecutors headed by Cebu City Prosecutor Nicolas Sellon, with Assistant Prosecutors Fernando Gubalane and Mario Ley Gidayawan will handle the case. (JGA/KNR)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (February 15, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
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