Negros Occidental Vice Governor Genaro Alvarez Jr., Cauayan Vice Mayor Jerry Tabujara, and Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade official Nelson Rustom Puro have been included as respondents in the case for the murder of Judge Henry Arles, lawyer Frank Britancio said yesterday.

Alvarez and Tabujara were served their subpoenas through Alex Poblador, lawyer of the vice governor’s son, Ilog Mayor John Paul Alvarez, at the Department of Justice preliminary hearing of the case yesterday, Britanico said.

The subpoena for Puro had been sent to him earlier and state prosecutor Vimar Barcellano set October 11 for the submission of the counter affidavits of the new respondents, he added.

The three have denied involvement in the murder of the judge in Ilog town on April 24.

In reacting to the issuance of subpoenas, Alvarez, who is the Nationalist People’s Coalition gubernatorial bet for the 2013 polls, said “That is good, they will help make me popular.”

He reiterated that he had nothing to do with the murder of the judge and called the move against him and his son “politically motivated”.

The National Bureau of Investigation had earlier 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 RPA-ABB – 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.

Britanico said Mayor Alvarez submitted his counter affidavit at the preliminary hearing before State Prosecutor Barcellano at the DOJ yesterday afternoon. He was accompanied by his lawyer Alex Poblador, and his sister, Rep. Mercedes Alvarez (Neg. Occ., 6th District).

The other original respondents did not show up, Britanico said.

Meanwhile, Lumaya Ka secretary general Ben Solilapsi yesterday said the resumption of the hearing before Bacolod Regional Trial Court Judge Fernando Elumba on the Writ of Amparo filed by Tessa Fortunado, who is seeking the release of her son, Eddie Fortunado, is set this afternoon.

They are expecting Eddie to be brought to court so he can personally rebut the allegations of the NBI witnesses, who maintain that he is being held because he had sought protective custody from their bureau, Solilapsi said.

Solilapsi said they also demand that Alejandro Capunong be immediately remitted to the Bacolod Bureau of Jail Management and Penology as ordered by Judge Eliseo Geolingo.

The bail of Jessie Daguia for the illegal gun raps he is facing was also reduced by RTC Judge Manuel Cardinal Jr. from P80,000 to P60,000.

Hopefully, he will also be remitted to the BJMP as soon as possible, Solilapsi said.*CPG

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