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Saturday, January 29, 2005
Judge handling Javier's case under threat
By Jay Dooma Balnig
A GROUP of armed men headed by Evelio Javier murder convict Eleazar
Idemne are reportedly out to assassinate Antique Regional Trial Court
Judge Rudy Castrojas, an intelligence report from the Police Regional
Office 6 said.
Chief Supt. George Aliño, police regional director, however, is silent on the report.
The report said Idemne, ordered detained at the Antique Provincial Jail, was sighted in Iloilo last December 23 looking for guns-for-hire.
In October last year, Castrojas sentenced Idemne, together with lawyer Avelino "Bob" Javellana, Capt. John Paloy, Vicente Vegafria, Ramon Hortillano, Henry Salaver, Eleazar Idemne, and Rolando Bernardino, to life imprisonments for the murder of Javier.
Acquitted was former Assemblyman Arturo Pacificador, who was Javellana's client.
The report further said Idemne sought the help of the Espinosa family in La Paz, Iloilo City. However, when the Espinosa contact refused to cooperate, his group went to a gun-for-hire group in Mandurriao.
At noon that day, Idemne's group proceeded to an undisclosed place in Zarraga town before going to the house of Councilor Fraulin "Palpal" Cordero in Pototan, also the hometown of Castrojas.
Mayor confirms
Pototan Mayor Pablo Perez confirmed he has talked to Cordero about Idemne's visit.
Perez said Idemne met with Cordero to ask for a tip from Cordero's winnings in a cock derby in Leganes.
The mayor, however, denied knowledge on Idemne's plan to assassinate Castrojas.
Javellana linked
The report pointed to Javellana as the brains in the assassination plot.
Javellana, also detained at Antique Provincial Jail, allegedly first tasked Jose Seguera, one of those acquitted in the Javier murder case, to look for the guns-for-hire. But Seguera turned down the offer.
Javellana, however, denied involvement in the plan to assassinate Castrojas.
"Wala sa isip ko ang amo na nga bagay (I haven't thought of doing that)," the convicted lawyer said in an interview with Aksyon Radyo-Iloilo Friday night.
He added that he does not know that Idemne was able to get out of prison.
"I don't have any idea that Idemne was able to go out in December 23," he said.
Javellana said the other convicts "mind their own business" and so does he.
"What is funny here, pati ngalan ko gindala," he said.
He said he is now busy preparing documents that would support his appeal before the Court Appeals.
"I'm a lawyer; I fight my battle in court. I don't resort to (something) physical," he said in Hiligaynon.
Security measure
Castrojas said in an interview with Aksyon Radyo-Iloilo he received information from a reliable source in Pototan about the liquidation plot.
"I received that information, too. As a human being, initially, I feel some anxiety," said the judge, who went on indefinite leave after the attempt to kill him was uncovered.
Castrojas said the Police Regional Office 6 and the Antique Provincial Police Office has provided him security people.
"Maybe they have already verified this. I don't want security (people) because I'm not used to it but the intelligence community said I should be protected," he said.
The judge said he is thankful for the police for "preparing an elaborate security measure for (his) protection."
Transfer
Castrojas said the Javier murder convicts should have already been transferred to the National Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa, Metro Manila after the verdict.
But more than three months after their conviction, the Provincial Government of Antique still has to provide funds for their transportation.
(January 29, 2005 issue)
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