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Wednesday, December 08, 2004
One of PBMA 8 held also for lawyer's murder
By Oscar C. Pineda and Mia E. Abellana
With Garry Cabotaje and Linette C. Ramos
CEBU CITY -- One of eight supporters of Ruben Ecleo Jr. who were caught carrying unlicensed guns and explosives was again arrested Tuesday night, in connection with the murder of the lawyer who prosecuted Ecleo.
A Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) 7 team, led by Chief Insp. Crisaleo Tolentino, formally informed Nestor Carrol Tuesday night that he was under arrest for the Oct. 11 murder of Arbet Sta. Ana-Yongco.
Before he could post bail, Carrol learned about his second arrest when Tolentino went to the Lapu-Lapu City jail past 7 p.m.
Tolentino, who heads the investigation branch of CIDG 7, said the warrantless arrest can be justified by two reasons:
* Witnesses have identified Carrol as the motorcycle driver of Michel Favila, who stands accused of shooting Yongco; and
* The manhunt for the Yongco murder suspects is a continuing effort of CIDG 7. Lapu-Lapu City Police Chief Louie Oppus, however, said he did not allow the CIDG 7 to take custody of Carrol because of a commitment order the court issued against him and seven other PBMA members.
Bail: P360T
Earlier Tuesday, the eight were named respondents in complaints for illegal possession of high-powered and low-powered firearms (separate cases) and of explosives.
Each of the eight will have to put up P360,000 each as bail.
Named respondents along with Carrol were Master Sgt. Heracleo Rallestan, Rosalito Oaper, Elpidio Amarilla, Michael Baylon, Arjulyn Gallarda, Damiano Esconde and Richard Caballero.
Oppus also revealed that Central Command (Centcom) officials are now working on an administrative case against Rallestan and his direct superior who issued a mission order for a revolver the sergeant carried.
Lapu-Lapu City's Swat team arrested the eight in a checkpoint in Barangay Mactan Friday night.
All eight were later found to be members of Ecleo's Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association (PBMA).
All eight remained detained as of Tuesday, in the absence of bail.
They will be arraigned at the Municipal Trial Court in Cities on Friday for one of the complaints, illegal possession of low-powered firearms and ammunition.
Mission?
Separate complaints were at the Regional Trial Court, for illegal possession of high-powered firearms and explosives.
The RTC is yet to issue another commitment order for these two cases.
Police Chief Oppus assured that their investigation will not stop even if the suspects manage to post bail.
"Naa gyud ni sila's mission (They had a mission)," said Oppus, although only two of the eight have claimed responsibility for the guns.
Even if he believes he was the target, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeņa stressed he will not single out the PBMA in running after criminal elements.
Osmeņa said he is also not bothered by PBMA members working at City Hall who may inform their organization of his whereabouts and his activities in and out of the building.
"We're running after certain people not because they are PBMA but because they committed a crime. I'm not threatened by PBMA members, I'm threatened by a demented leader asking his men to do nasty things," the mayor said.
"Ruben Ecleo Jr. is an undesirable element in the community. He's so unlike his father, who was highly respected. The son behaves like a drug addict with a streak of homicidal tendencies and that's what I don't like, it's not the PBMA," he added.
3 more
Aside from Carrol, Task Force Arbet also hopes to implicate three more members of the PBMA in the murder of Yongco.
Supt. Salvador Manga Jr., who heads the task force, said they have information that three of the eight PBMA members arrested last Friday were loitering around Sikatuna and Alcohol Sts. days before the lawyer was shot.
One of them was reportedly standing outside while others were seen buying cigarettes nearby on different occasions.
Sun.Star Superbalita reported in its issue yesterday that suspect Gallarda used to work in a house in front of Yongco's a few days before the lawyer was killed on Oct. 11.
Sgt. Rallestan and Caballero were reportedly seen buying cigarettes from the sari-sari store owned by the Yongcos.
About a week before Yongco's death, suspect Amarilla was seen in Samar, where the lawyer was scheduled to speak before a convention.
The report quoted PO2 Nathaniel Sta. Ana, Yongco's brother.
(December 8, 2004 issue)
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