New witness surfaces in Negros judge's slay

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – A day care teacher has surfaced as a new witness in the killing of Kabankalan Judge Henry Arles and has tagged Negros Occidental Vice Gov. Genaro Alvarez Jr., his son Ilog Mayor John Paul Alvarez, and Cauayan Vice Mayor Jerry Tabujara in the crime.

In an affidavit executed last Monday and submitted to the Department of Justice on Thursday, the witness, dubbed “Honeybee,” implicated Mayor Alvarez as the alleged mastermind, with the supposed connivance of Tabujara and Vice Gov. Alvarez.

The witness also tagged Rustom Puro, a unit commander of Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPA-ABB) in the killing, along with the other suspects, namely Jessie Daguia, Alejandro Capunong, Eddie Fortunado, and Gerald Tabujara, all RPA-ABB members; Marvin Salve, vice commander of RPA-ABB in the sixth district; and Emmanuel Medez, an administrative aide of the Ilog municipal government.

Lawyer Frank Britanico, spokesman of the Arles family, furnished the media a copy of Honeybee’s affidavit.

With this new development, Britanico said there are now 11 suspects in the killing, including a still unidentified woman. 

Britanico said Honeybee could be placed under the witness protection program in a week’s time.

The 35-year-old female witness said she is a cousin-in-law of Puro, a cousin of Daguia, and has known Capunong and Fortunado as RPA-ABB members.

Britanico said Honeybee voluntarily offered to be a witness after she received death threats from Puro and the other suspects.

Vice Gov. Alvarez denied Honeybee’s allegation, saying it was a “diversionary tactic” and “fairy tale,” while Tabujara dismissed it as “ridiculous and politically motivated.”

Meanwhile, Britanico said they expected the retraction of Fortunado during a summary hearing at the Regional Trial Court Branch 42 here last Wednesday.