Motorist faces raps for death of Ninoy ‘assassin’

MANILA, Philippines - The Parañaque police is preparing to charge a motorist with reckless imprudence resulting in homicide for running over a former soldier convicted of assassinating former senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., an official said yesterday.

Parañaque police chief Senior Superintendent Ariel Andrade told The STAR they are waiting for a statement from the relatives of former master sergeant Pablo Martinez for the formal filing of the complaint.

He said the amicable settlement reached by the Martinez family with Henry Roque was temporary and has nothing to do with the victim’s death.

“That was the reason Roque was released from police custody” when he surrendered after the incident, Andrade said.

On Monday morning, Martinez, 77, was riding a bicycle along Roxas Boulevard when he was sideswiped and run over by a Mitsubishi Montero driven by Roque. He died of fractures in his ribs at the San Juan de Dios Hospital the next day, according to his son, Diomedes.

Roque, 29, identified as a Philippine Airlines employee, agreed to shoulder Martinez’s hospital expenses, Andrade said.

Foul play?

According to earlier reports, Diomedes – a staff sergeant in the Armed Forces of the Philippines – suspected foul play.

Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) chief Persida Acosta recalled that Martinez had implicated business tycoon Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco in his affidavit when he confessed to participating in Aquino’s assassination.

In his affidavit, Martinez claimed he was tapped by then Air Force colonel Romeo Ochoco to bring gunman Rolando Galman into the Manila International Airport. He was also the one, who supposedly did the test shot on the gun used in the killing.

Acosta, however, said it was for the prosecutors in the case to look into and determine. PAO lawyers were only concerned with getting the soldiers out of jail as they had already served their sentences at that time, she added.

According to Acosta, the last time she had contact with Martinez was during then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s term when the latter was asking for “absolute pardon.”

Martinez was the only one among the 16 soldiers convicted for the assassination to be granted “conditional pardon” by Arroyo, Acosta said. Three of the 16 had died in prison. Of the 13 remaining, the 12 had their jail terms commuted.

“That was because he was the only one who admitted (participation in the assassination),” she said.

As to the allegation made by Martinez’s family about the supposed foul play in the incident, Acosta said the family had yet to contact the PAO about the matter.

“We can conduct an autopsy and forensic examination if they seek our help,” Acosta said. “We don’t want to prejudge because we would like to see the evidence first.” – Perseus Echeminada, Reinir Padua