The Supreme Court is closely monitoring the progress of the case filed against the suspects in the killing of Kabankalan Regional Trial Court Judge Henry Arles, SC Court Administrator Midas Marquez said yesterday.

“The case involved our judge, we are interested in the prosecution of those behind it ,” Marquez told the DAILY STAR in a telephone interview.

“The soonest it is filed (in court) and we get a conviction, the better. We want an early solution to the case,” he added.

The National Bureau of Investigation filed charges for the murder of Arles before the Department of Justice on July 27 against Ilog Mayor John Paul Alvarez, Emmanuel “Eman” Medez – an administrative aide 1 of the Ilog government, RPA-ABB members Marvin Salve and Gerald Gallano Tabujara who are at-large, and Jessie Gedacan Daguia, Alejandro Castillo Capunong and Eddie Magno Fotunado who are now under NBI custody in Manila.

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

Bacolod NBI chief Ferdinand Lavin said it may take more than a month before the DOJ concludes its preliminary investigation to determine if it will file a case in court, as it has to subpoena the persons tagged in the murder so they can respond to the charges.

“We believe we have a good case,” Lavin said.

Meanwhile, Alvarez has denied the charges against him, while the three RPA-ABB men in the NBI custody have alleged that they were tortured to admit involvement in the crime.

Lavin has denied the claims of the three, pointing out that even if they retract, they have witnesses to place them at the crime scene.*CPG

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