The family of Judge Henry Arles filed a manifestation to include Negros Occidental Vice Governor Genaro Alvarez Jr. and two others in the charges for his murder at the preliminary hearing of the case before the Department of Justice yesterday, lawyer Frank Britanico said.

Present at the preliminary hearing were the complainants, Philip and Albert Arles, and their sister Ma. Estelita “Ria” Arles, Britanico said.

The National Bureau of Investigation had filed a complaint before the DOJ against the vice governor’s son, Ilog Mayor John Paul Alvarez, his aide, Emmanuel Medez, and five members of the breakaway Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade – Jessie Daguia, Alejandro Capunong and Eddie Fortunado – who are under NBI custody in Manila, and Marvin Salve and Gerald Tabujara, for the murder of the judge.

The mayor and his co-respondents have denied involvement in the murder of the judge.

Britancio said only Mayor Alvarez was represented at the preliminary hearing yesterday.

The mayor’s lawyer asked for eight days to file their counter affidavit and the next preliminary hearing will be on September 26, Britanico said.

Medez and the five RPA-ABB men did not file counter-affidavits, Britanico said.

Ben Solilapsi, secretary general of Lumaya Ka, said the subpoenas for Capunong and Daguia were sent to the Ilog town post office in Negros Occidental and only delivered Monday, the day before the preliminary hearing, when it is a known fact that the two are under NBI custody in Manila.

“Is this not questionable and intentional?” he asked.

Britanico said the inclusion of Vice Governor Alvarez, Cauayan Vice Mayor Jerry Tabujara, and Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade leader Nelson Rustom Puro among the respondents, is based on the affidavit of a witness he has identified only as “Honeybee.”

Alvarez, who is running for governor of Negros Occidental in 2013, has stressed that he had nothing to do with the killing of Arles, but said that if they insist on including him among the respondents, he has no problem if they want to make him popular.

Vice Mayor Tabujara has also vehemently denied involvement in the crime.

Britancio said they still have other witnesses to present and those who have already surfaced will have more statements to make.*CPG

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