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Saturday, July 28, 2007
3 more witnesses in Malita killings surface
By Rhodamae M. Hernandez
DAVAO CITY -- Three more witnesses in the killing of a losing mayoralty candidate and his engineer son in Malita, Davao del Norte surfaced at the Regional State Prosecutor's Office Friday to execute affidavits.
They gave details of what they saw on the afternoon of May 26, when former representative and erstwhile gubernatorial candidate Claude Bautista allegedly killed mayoralty bet Isidro Sarmiento and son Danilo.
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The investigating prosecutor refused to release a vital document for these witnesses to be placed under the Witness Protection Program because they first must affirm their statements.
One of the new witnesses said in his affidavit that he was on his way to the house of Isidro in Malita, where he (Isidro) had his campaign headquarters, at around 2:30 p.m. of May 26.
However, before proceeding to Isidro's house on Abas Street in downtown Malita, he dropped by a pharmacy on the street corner to buy some medicines.
That was when four motorcycle-riding men wearing bonnets and Bautista's black vehicle, followed by three more motorcycle-riding men, arrived and stopped right in front of Isidro's house, some eight meters away from the witness.
He said he saw people running away from the parked vehicles and even saw neighbors being pulled back inside the gate of the residence of the Sarmientos, leaving Danilo, Isidro's son, in the middle of the road.
That was when Bautista alighted from his vehicle and confronted Danilo, demanding why they brought home some ballot boxes.
When Danilo replied that all they brought home where their copies of the election returns, Bautista kicked him in the stomach and the former congressman's bodyguards took turns mauling him.
When Danilo was already down on the ground, Bautista pulled out a handgun tucked in his waist and shot Danilo twice, said the witness, adding that Bautista's bodyguards followed suit and shot him as well.
That was when Isidro came out of the house holding a gun shouting at the gunmen, asking why they killed his son.
Bautista, the witness said, instead of answering shot Isidro, and again, his bodyguards followed suit and also shot Isidro.
Bautista and his men were charged with double murder for the incident.
Chief Prosecutor Raul B. Bendigo explained that the reason why not one of the witnesses, including the first one who surfaced and has since sought transfer somewhere in Metro Manila, has been recommended for the Witness Protection Program is because investigating prosecutor Cielitolindo Luyon refused to issue the certificate of materiality without the witnesses affirming their statements in their affidavits.
"There are many requirements for the Witness Protection Program and all of the witnesses have already submitted the requirements, 'yung certificate of materiality na lang talaga ang kulang. And since wala 'yung mga witnesses to affirm their statements, Fiscal Luyon cannot issue the certificate," said Witness Protection Program regional implementer and Chief Prosecutor Bendigo.
"Tanan na witnesses, dili pa under sa amoa pero nag apply sila tanan (All witnesses have applied for witness protection but not one has been turned over to us)," he added. (Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Zamboanga. (July 28, 2007 issue)
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