NBI hunts 4 wanted ex-solons

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra yesterday said they will help in the enforcement of the arrest warrants issued by a Nueva Ecija court against four former party-list representatives for the murder of farmers.

Guevarra said the arrest warrants are addressed to all law enforcement agencies including the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Philippine National Police.

“All warrants of arrest are addressed to all law enforcement officers, including the NBI commanding them to arrest the person of the accused wherever the latter may be found,” said Guevarra.

The justice chief said the Department of Justice (DoJ) need not issue a separate order to the agencies under it like the NBI.

“The NBI will help, in compliance with a warrant duly issued by the court,” Guevarra assured.

Judge Evelyn Atienza-Turla, presiding judge of Palayan City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 40, issued the arrest warrants on 11 July against four former militant lawmakers for murder in 2006.

Those ordered arrested are National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) head Liza Maza, former Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) secretary Rafael Mariano, former Bayan Muna party-list representatives Satur Ocampo and Teddy Casiño.

The four were implicated in the abduction and murder case of alleged former NPA rebels Danilo Felipe in 2001, Jimmy Peralta in 2003 and Carlito Bayudang in 2004.

The charges were based on the complaints filed by the victims’ widows, Medelyn Felipe, Isabelita Bayudang and Mayumi Peralta, reportedly Akbayan supporters.

According to Atty. Racher Pastores of the Public Interest Law Center, the four are weighing their options, including surrendering to authorities.

However, Pastores belittled the 12-year-old case as baseless, citing an earlier ruling that there was no probable cause to indict the four in ordering the re-investigation of the case.

The case was remanded to the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor as the proper procedure in the conduct of the preliminary investigation was not followed according to the court.

The case was then questioned by the four accused before the Supreme Court, claiming the cases against them should have been dismissed if there was no probable cause found.

But the SC ordered the Palayan RTC to proceed with due and deliberate dispatch in looking at the complaint against the suspects.

Maza branded the arrest warrant as a continuing prosecution by rightists and militarists who succumbed to the influence of the present administration.

She claimed leftist leaders are being removed one by one but maintained she will continue implementing reforms in the government as the head of the NAPC.

Ocampo said the case deserved a second look in terms of justice and fairness as Bayan Muna Chairman Neri Colmenares said their appeal to the RTC not to implement the order is pending.

Meanwhile, the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) condemned the order of Judge Turla for issuing the order against the four militants.

Danilo Ramos, KMP chairman, said it is a revival of 12-year old trump-up case that traces its origin during the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

“This old case was part of the trumped-up charges and political persecution against activists and progressive lawmakers during the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo,” Ramos said.

“This case is now being revived through the PNP-AFP Inter-agency Committee on Legal Action, the successor of Arroyo’s IALAG,” he added.

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