NPA issues ‘arrest warrants’ vs. 8

From the Visayan Daily Star (Jul 17): NPA issues ‘arrest warrants’ vs. 8

The New People’s Army revolutionary court in Negros Island has issued warrants of arrest for its eight suspects in the killing of Kabankalan Judge Henry Arles, who includes Ilog Vice Mayor John Paul Alvarez, and also summoned his father, former Vice Governor Genaro Alvarez Jr., for questioning.

It is also calling on the people to provide the NPA information that will help in the speedy arrest of the suspects, Juanito Magbanua II, NPA Apolinario Gatmaitan Command spokesperson, said in a one-page statement distributed to the media yesterday.

The Apolinario Gatmaitan Command has ordered all the NPA units under its command to launch police operations for the arrest of the Ilog vice mayor, Revolutionary Proletarian Army members Rustom Puro, Marvin Salve, Jessie Daguia, Eddie Fortunado, Alejandro Capunong and Gerald Tabujara, and Ilog government employee Emmanuel Medes, as alleged principal suspects in the killing of Arles, Magbanua said in the statement.

However, the former vice governor yesterday said that, as far as he and his son, John Paul, are concerned, the charges against them have already been dismissed by the DOJ.
“There is no need for warrants of arrest, we are just in our houses,   we are not in hiding,” he also said.

The former vice governor and his son, along with the others named by the NPA, have repeatedly denied involvement in the killing of Arles.

The DOJ late last year dismissed the charges filed against Genaro and John Paul Alvarez, and Cauayan Vice Mayor Jerry Tabujara for the murder of Arles for “insufficiency of evidence”, but recommended the filing of a case against the seven others.

The seven are Gerald Tabujara, Salve, Puro, Capunong, Daguia,  Fortunado and Medes.

Arles was killed in Barangay Manalad, Ilog, while driving home at about 6:30 p.m. on April 24, 2012.

Magbanua said the NPA arrest operation was ordered by the regional people’s court that is the highest revolutionary court on Negros Island after it had reviewed the decision of the Southwest Negros people’s court based on a special report submitted by the NPA Armando Sumayang Jr. Command.

The revolutionary court is summoning the former vice governor to answer allegations that he knew of his son’s plan to kill Arles and his alleged move to prevent justice from being carried out, Magbanua added.

The former vice governor has denied committing such acts.

The revelations of witnesses and evidence the NPA gathered point to John Paul Alvarez as the mastermind and financier of the RPA men who carried out the killing of Arles, Magbanua alleged.

The NPA investigation shows that the motive for the killing of the judge is that the Alvarez family considered him a threat to their political dominance in the sixth district, because his son, Philip Arles, ran for Congress, and on suspicion that he had a part in the filling of corruption charges against John Paul Alvarez with the Ombudsman, Magbanua claimed.

Philip Arles lost to Rep. Mercedes Alvarez, daughter of the former vice governor, in the last two elections by wide margins.

They were also angry at Judge Arles for his show of sympathy and support for poor farmers and fishermen seeking justice against land- grabbing, mining, and the fascist military in the sixth district, the NPA alleged.

The NPA also said it is laughable and disgusting that the DOJ dismissed the murder charges against Genaro and John Paul Alvarez, and Jerry Tabujara, but charged the seven other suspects.

It shows that the government’s system of justice favors the rich and powerful, the NPA alleged.

http://www.visayandailystar.com/2013/July/17/topstory3.htm