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Thursday, October 09, 2003
Cops in Baleleng rubout case missing
MANILA -- A day after the Supreme Court ruled to reopen the Kuratong Baleleng (KB) case, law enforcers implicated in the rubout of 11 gang members in 1995 failed to report to Camp Crame Wednesday.
The officers, 12 of whom used to report to the PNP headquarters and five others to various police offices, could not be reached Wednesday.
The PNP said notices would be sent to the policemen if they still fail to show up after five days. They will be declared absent without leave (Awol) and could face summary dismissal proceedings.
At the Senate, colleagues of Sen. Panfilo Lacson urged the opposition legislator to surface and continue to seek relief from the courts concerning the Kuratong Baleleng case.
Private prosecutors and government lawyers have varied reactions to the SC ruling.
Lacson and several police officers were charged with multiple murder in connection with the killing of 11 suspected members of the Kuratong Baleleng gang on May 18, 1995.
The PNP earlier dismissed from the service Supt. Glenn Dumlao, SPO4 Ceciro Bacolod, SPO4 Rolando Jimenez and SPO3 Cecilio Morito. They went Awol after they were implicated in the Kuratong Baleleng case.
Also dismissed from the service were Superintendents Cesar Mancao and Michael Rey Aquino, PO3 Reynaldo Las Piņas and PO3 Leonardo Gloria.
Other police officers implicated in the Kuratong Baleleng case are Supt. Zorobabael Laureles, Supt. Gil Meneses, Supt. Jose Villacorte, Chief Insp. Ceasar Tannagan, Chief Insp. Ricardo Dandan, SPO4 Virgilio Paragas, SPO4 Angelito Caisip, SPO4 Willy Nuas, SPO2 Roberto Agbalog, SPO1 Osmondo Carino, Supt. Almario Hilario, SPO4 Antonio Frias, Chief Supt. Francisco Zubia Jr., Supt. Joselito Esquivel, Supt. Rolando Anduyan, PO3 Alejandro Liwanag and PO3 Norberto Lasaga Jr.
At the Senate, Lacson was absent for the third consecutive day so that the much-awaited Part 3 of his Incredible Hulk privilege speech was postponed.
Senate President Franklin Drilon said Wednesday he was informed by Lacson that he will be absent because he has a previous engagement outside Metro Manila.
"I ask Senator Lacson to attend the Senate sessions and avail himself of the judicial process. He has sought relief from court for eight years and he should continue to do so," Drilon said.
Sens. Francis Pangilinan and Robert Barbers said Lacson should now appear and explain his side in court to once and for all clear his name if he is indeed innocent of the crime.
"No one is above the law. We should respect the Supreme Court decision and proceed with the case," Pangilanan said.
Even Lacson's colleagues in the opposition are asking him to face the charges filed against him.
Sens. Aquilino Pimentel Jr. and Vicente Sotto III said he should be present during Senate sessions and finish what he has started in exposing the alleged money-laundering activities of First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo.
"Any senator charged with case should face the consequences and present himself in the court. This is to show that he is innocent," Pimentel added.
"We haven't talked but I know Senator Lacson is somebody who is willing to face the challenges and he would be willing to face media and the public for that matter. He should explain his side on the issue and also to continue the work he has started, the expose he has started," Sotto, for his part, said.
Lacson, in a press statement, said believes he will not get a fair judgment on the case.
"The Supreme Court's flawed decision only served to confirm that it is party to a grand design to prevent me from pushing my crusade against massive corruption for our people and ultimately to prevent me from opposing the President's election," Lacson said.
Lacson also said he will deliver his Chapter 3 in due time and warned that he will expose more anomalies against First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo. Aside from the Jose Pidal issue, he will also tackle misuse of public funds.
"I ask our people to be patient as I hurdle the legal obstacles thrown my way to stop me in our crusade for good governance. The crusade against corruption will not end with the Supreme Court's harassment. This is my commitment to the Filipino people," Lacson added.
Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Simeon Datumanong said they expect "a battle of legal wits" in the resumption of the multiple murder charges against Lacson and 33 former and present police official.
Datumanong said Lacson is represented by "very good lawyers."
Chief State Prosecutor Jovencito Zuņo said that it will be "up to the court to issue an arrest warrant on Lacson" and the other co-accused.
Zuņo explained that if the court that received the case delays in issuing an arrest warrant, the prosecutors will "have to file a motion" for its issuance.
Zuņo also denied there was undue haste in the prosecutors' handling of the case.
He noted that the camp of Lacson expressed plans to file a partial motion for reconsideration despite the SC's final ruling.
"We hope this will not delay the proceedings," he said.
Zuņo added that in the normal course of the case, the prosecutors "will file the motion seeking for a hold departure order."
Aside from Zuņo, the case is being handled by a nine-member panel led by State Prosecutor Peter Ong.
Meanwhile, private lawyers representing the family of some of the 11 victims of the 1995 case said they are not completely satisfied with the SC ruling.
The Free Legal Assistance Group (Flag) Wednesday said while the families of the victims welcome the Supreme Court resolution, the decision cannot be described as victory for justice.
Lawyer Arno Sanidad said "Lacson has only himself to blame" for the case since he had an opportunity to answer it in 1995 but chose "instead to delay the proceedings."
Another lawyer, Efren Moncupa, said their group is eyeing the possibility of pursuing administrative case against former Court of Appeals (CA) justice Wenceslao Agnir, who acquitted Lacson in the lower court when he was still Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC).
"Agnir was seen in the QC court this morning a day after the SC decision came out. You can draw your own conclusions."
The group said they have eight witnesses who are willing to testify in the case, and identified two of the eight as former tabloid reporter Armando Capili and Mario Enad.
"The case is not about Lacson," Sanidad said, adding that the delays that have hampered the case "cannot speak well of our justice system."
The Supreme Court Tuesday rejected Lacson's appeal against the reopening of the Kuratong Baleleng rubout case.
In a 31-page ruling by Associate Justice Romeo Callejo, the High Court voted 8 to 4 Tuesday to deny the motion for reconsideration filed by Lacson. Two associate justices abstained from voting on the case while one was absent. Miko Santos/Jester Manalastas/She Torres and Benjamin Pulta
(October 9, 2003 issue)
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