|
Sunday, August 25, 2002
Police can't declare suspect state witness
ELEMENTS of the Philippine National Police (PNP)-Region 12 could not declare the recently arrested kidnap suspect a state witness.
Lawyer Dominador Lagare, a former councilor of General Santos, said the police could not easily declare Salem Gogo as a state witness unless he could be turned over to the court.
"Ang suspetsado dili basta-basta mamahimong state witness hangtud nga wala pa kini maturn-over sa korte (A suspect cannot be easily declared as a state witness until he is turned over to the court)," said Lagare.
Gogo, after his arrest by the group of Police Supt. Willie Dangane, remained under their custody following the former's disclosure that police officer Supt. Abubakar Mangelen and Palembang mayor Labualas Mamansual were allegedly behind the abduction of Korean national Jae Keon Yoon and Carlos Bilonio.
The suspect, Mangelen and Mamansual were facing kidnapping with serious illegal detention.
Lagare said Gogo can only be a state witness after a judge is convinced that he has least participation in the case filed against him and the two others.
"Dapat isurender siya sa korte, unya ibalhog sa prisuhan una tun-an sa huwes kung angayan siyang himuong (He should be surrendered to the court and be jailed, then a judge will determine if he can be a) state witness," said Lagare.
However, if Gogo feels he is safe in the custody of the police, it is still his option, Lagare added. (Merlyn F. Velarde) |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
|
