Legal battle for custody
of Arles slay suspects on
Detained RPA-ABB men
show no signs of torture: CHR
BY CARLA GOMEZ

Lawyers claiming to represent two Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade members linked to the murder of Judge Henry Arles took opposing positions yesterday over where their clients should be detained.

Jessie Daguia, 40, of Barangay Tampalon, Kabankalan, and Alejandro Capunong, 27, of Barangay Tabu, Ilog, are presently detained at the National Bureau of Investigation jail in Manila.

They are facing illegal possession of firearm charges before two Bacolod courts and a complaint, along with Ilog Mayor John Paul Alvarez and three others, for the murder of Arles before the Department of Justice.

Three men were sentenced to 13 years of imprisonment by Regional Trial Court Branch 45 Judge Eliseo Geolingo after they admitted killing their neighbor in Don Salvador Benedicto town, Negros Occidental last year.

Geolingo also ordered Jose Tumaquin, his brother Jonardo Tumaquin, and their cousin Jonbe Benitin to each pay the family of the victim, Miguel Gatanilla, P50,000 as civil indemnity.

The respondents told the court they decided on their own to admit to the crime, and that no one forced or influenced them to do so. They said they understand that by admitting the crime, they will be meted appropriate penalties under the law.

Witnesses to the killing of a businessman in Silay City, Negros Occidental, have refused to cooperate with police probers in their investigations, apparently for security reasons, police chief Supt. Rosauro Francisco said.

Businessman Charles Balbon Jr., 31, was gunned down Thursday by an unidentified man riding in tandem with another in a motorcycle at McKinley-Gomez streets in Silay City.

Balbon was the son of Charles Balbon Sr., a former member of the defunct Philippine Constabulary Criminal Investigation Service, who was previously tagged by the police as engaged in drug peddling activities, and also linked to illegal gambling..