Tabujara said in his counter affidavit that was sent to the DOJ that there is no legal and factual basis for the DOJ-National Prosecution Service to continue with the preliminary investigation against him and the Alvarezes based on the fabricated and hearsay statements of witness Rolyn Baylon.

The filing of the case against him is politically motivated and orchestrated by Philip Arles, Frank Britanico, Ferdinand Lavin of the National Bureau of Investigation-Bacolod Office, and Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr., Tabujara claimed.

The appearance and interviews of Philip Arles during the Wednesday press conference of the United Negros Alliance, and his declaration as the possible UNA congressional candidate for the sixth district, reveals one thing, that he is “the mad dog unleashed by Gov. Alfredo Marañon to bark and bite at me, Mayor Paul Alvarez, and Vice Gov. Alvarez, for not supporting his re-election bid,” Tabujara charged.

“This explains why, at every possible chance he gets, Philip Arles is all too ready to publicly accuse us, mock us, and destroy our reputation over the print, radio and TV media,” Tabujara added.

“Philip Arles does not come to the DOJ-National Prosecution Service with clean hands or a clean conscience. Rather, Philip Arles is blinded by ambition and the power promised to him. Hence, he has no credibility whatsoever,” Tabujara also said.

This case cannot continue in the light of the fact that all the affidavits of the RPA-ABB witnesses were secured under duress, compulsion and threat, Tabujara also said.

The fabricated and hearsay statements of Rolyn Baylon against them are also worthless and inadmissible as evidence, he added.

Thus, the entire murder case should be immediately dismissed, Tabjuara said.

Reached for his side, Arles said that when he ran for the sixth congressional seat in 2010, his father was still alive and he did not say anything negative about Tabujara even though they belonged to different parties.

“But this time, we are not talking about politics. This is about the murder of my father, so this is beyond politics,” he said.

“Tabujara was implicated in my father’s murder because his name was mentioned by one of the witnesses,” Arles said.

“I firmly believe that Vice Mayor Tabujara is part of the conspiracy to murder my father, not only because he was mentioned by a witness, but because he tried to cover up the crime by mentioning false witnesses. We talked several times on the phone before we released the names of the suspects, and he said he is 100 percent sure that a barangay captain masterminded my father’s murder,” Arles pointed out.

Arles said he was able to record their cellphone conversations and in due time, will release it to the media.

Tabujara should come clean and turn state witness instead of covering up for his boss, Arles added.

Arles also noted that, while Tabujara said he was a very good friend of his father, he did not come to the wake, send flowers, condolence cards or attend the burial.

It is Tabujara’s right to resort to all legal means necessary as an accused, he added.*CPG

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