Wednesday, August 20, 2008 Favila is innocent: witness
AN inmate who spent time with Michel Favila and state witness Eddie Ardita has chosen to testify in favor of Favila, suspect in the murder of Arbet Sta. Ana-Yongco.
Edgardo Balmoria favored Favila, who is the uncle of the wife of Balmoria’s former boss.
Balmoria’s name came up when the prosecution was trying to build a case against Favila and two others — MSgt. Heracleo Rallestan and Nestor Carrol. Defense lawyers Orlando Salatandre and Giovanni Mata chose Balmoria as defense witness.
Ardita said he met Favila at “Dongdong’s” house. It was there that Favila allegedly asked Ardita, a motorcycle-for-hire driver, to drive him on Oct. 11, 2004, the day Sta. Ana-Yongco was shot. Yongco a private prosecutor for the parricide case against cult leader
Ruben Ecleo Jr., who was charged for the death of his wife Alona.
Balmoria said his nickname is Dongdong.
The meeting though, did not take place, said defense witness Balmoria, who was cross-examined yesterday.
The defense and the prosecution headed by Ramon Duyongco and Manuel Monzon gave another round of redirect and re-cross examinations.
Balmoria said Favila was in Palawan the day Yongco was shot. They talked through a radio communicator while Favila was on his way to the island on board a ferry boat.
“Wala siya nagbuhat ana, (He did not do it),” said Balmoria, referring to Favila.
But Duyongco’s cross-examination established that Balmoria was not at corner Sikatuna and Alcohol Sts. in Barangay Zapatera when Yongco was shot dead outside her home. Balmoria was working in Mandaue City.
Reacting to the objections during the hearing, Presiding Judge Bienvenido Saniel of Regional Trial Court Branch 20 asked the counsels “not to get too excited.”
It was also established during the hearing that Balmoria was arrested with Ardita for carnapping on Dec. 2004. That was when Balmoria said he met Ardita and not on Oct. 8, 2004, when Balmoria reportedly introduced Ardita and Favila. (JGA)
