The family of Judge Henry Arles will ask the Department of Justice to include Negros Occidental Vice Governor Genaro Alvarez Jr. and two others as additional respondents in a complaint filed for his murder, lawyer Frank Britanico said yesterday.

Britanico, who is the brother-in-law of Arles, said they will ask the DOJ at a preliminary hearing on October 18 to include Alvarez, Cauayan Vice Mayor Jerry Tabujara, and Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade leader Rustom Puro among the respondents, based on the affidavit of a witness he has identified only as “Honeybee.”

Alvarez, who is running for governor of Negros Occidental in 2013, yesterday reiterated 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.

In her affidavit, Honeybee claimed that Puro, the husband of her cousin, told her that he and Marvin Salve were contracted by the group of Ilog Mayor Paul Alvarez, the vice governor, and the vice mayor to assassinate Arles.

Alvarez pointed out that Honeybee is not a credible witness, and her allegations against him have no basis.

Tabujara and the Ilog mayor have also denied involvement in the killing of Arles.

The DOJ has set the preliminary hearings for the seven initial respondents in the Arles case for today and October 18.

A complaint earlier filed by the National Bureau of Investigation with the DOJ had tagged 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 now under NBI custody in Manila, and Marvin Salve and Gerald Tabujara, who are at large.

Ben Solilapsi, Lumaya Ka secretary general, said it is unfortunate that, until now, Fotunado, Capunong and Daguia have not received their subpoenas from the DOJ.

The deadline for the submission of their counter affidavits is September 18 so there must be something fishy here, he said.

Salve and Gerald Tabujara, who have denied involvement in the Arles murder, received their subpoenas on September 5 and have already prepared their counter affidavits, Solilapsi said.

The two have said that Honeybee’s claims against them are all lies.

Arles was killed in Ilog town in the evening of April 24.*CPG

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