Two members of the Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade charged for the murder of Judge Henry Arles surfaced yesterday to deny their involvement in the crime and to file a complaint against the National Bureau of Investigation before the Commission on Human Rights in Bacolod for alleged harassment.

Marvin Salve, 42, vice commander of the RPA-ABB in southern Negros, and Gerald Tabujara, 35, a nephew of Cauayan Vice Mayor Jerry Tabujara, said they were being falsely accused by the NBI and have witnesses to testify that they were not at the scene of the crime when Arles was killed in Ilog town in the evening of April 24.

Salve also charged that “Honeybee”, a witness presented by the Arles family who implicated them in the crime, along with Ilog Mayor John Paul Alvarez, Vice Governor Genaro Alvarez Jr. and Vice Mayor Tabujara, is lying.

On July 27, the NBI filed a complaint against Salve, Tabujara, the vice governor’s son, his aide Emmanuel Medez, and RPA-ABB members Jessie Daguia, Alejandro Capunong and Eddie Fortunado – who are under NBI custody in Manila – for the murder of Arles.

Salve said Daguia, Capunong and Fortunado, who are RPA-ABB members under his command, also had nothing to do with the murder of Arles, pointing out that he knows where they were at the time the judge was being killed.

The three, who earlier admitted to the crime, have since retracted, claiming that they were tortured into admission.

FAIR PROBE

Victorino Sumulong, RPA-ABB spokesman, also said their own investigation shows that Salve and Tabujara are innocent of the crime.

“We are calling on the national NBI and the DOJ to step in to ensure a fair and independent investigation of the Arles killing,” he said.

The Bacolod NBI should be excluded from handling the case because it has not been credible, fair and independent, it is being overruled by the Arles family in the conduct of the investigation, Sumulong claimed.

This drama that is happening has been triggered by persons wanting to get a share of the P1.2 million reward offered for a solution to the Arles murder, and some big politicians for personal interest, he added.

Sumulong charged that Honeybee is an NBI asset who survives on rewards given for information she provides.

He also questioned why she only surfaced after Fortunado recanted on Wednesday, which weakened the NBI case.

HONEYBEE’S STORY

On Tuesday, Honeybee told the media she surfaced because the RPA-ABB men suspected that she was the one who informed the NBI about their participation in the Arles murder, and she was receiving threats.

She was seeking protective custody for fear for her life, Honeybee said.

Salve, on the other hand, said Honeybee’s claim that she is being threatened and that they took part in the killing of Arles are all lies.

At the time Arles was killed, Salve said he was in Purok Kinalipay, Barangay Guiljungan, Cauayan, at a party with friends who can testify to that. He said he heard of the death of the judge while drinking with his friends at the party.

Maybe because he is the RPA-ABB deputy commander of the sixth district some people want to destroy his name, that is why he was implicated in the Arles murder, he added.

Salve also said Rustom Puro, whom Honeybee identified in her affidavit as the person who sent her to collect the remaining P500,000 payment for the killing of Arles from Mayor Alvarez, is his assistant in the RPA-ABB and not his superior as she claimed.

He had gone to the Kabankalan Regional Trial Court in March to follow up with the prosecutor an affidavit of desistance to a murder charge filed against Puro, which needed to be signed by Arles, Salve said.

In fact, he said, they were saddened that the judge was killed as they had to wait for a new judge to sign the papers of Puro that led to the dismissal of the cases against him, Salve added.

DENIALS

Salve denied that he was at the Kabankalan RTC in April to conduct a surveillance on the judge for his assassination.

Gerald Tabujara, on the other hand, said he could not have participated in the killing of the judge as he was attending a Peace and Development Community workshop at the Farmers Training Center in Kabankalan from April 23 and 25, and fellow participants can testify to his whereabouts on April 24 when Arles was killed.

He presented a certified true copy of his participation in the workshop signed by Kabankalan Acting City Administrator Sixto Garaygay.*CPG

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