Bounty for judge's killers helpful

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines  — The P1.2-million cash reward for the arrest of the killers of Kabankalan Regional Trial Court Judge Henry Arles could be disadvantageous in some ways, but can help the case in general, said the judge’s daughter.

Lawyer Maria Estelita Arles, the judge’s youngest child, said yesterday that the cash reward could help “expedite the arrest of the suspects.” 

Estelita was reacting to a statement of Ferdinand Lavin, head of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Bacolod, that although the cash reward could hasten the arrest of the suspects, it could also possibly delay the resolution of the case.

Lavin said it could entice some people to bring false information to authorities to try to get the reward.

But Estelita said that surely, the NBI and other authorities have mechanisms or procedures to identify false witnesses.

“I’m sure the authorities have ways and means to verify the authenticity of the testimonies of the informants, thus rather than being a disadvantage, the reward could be an advantage to the resolution of the case,” Estelita said.

The NBI is conducting a parallel investigation into the Arles killing.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has also formed Task Group Arles to arrest the suspects. It is headed by Supt. Leo Irwin Agpangan, deputy provincial director for administration of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO), and composed of the Ilog and Kabankalan City police stations, Investigation Operations and Intelligence Branches of NOPPO, PNP Crime Laboratory, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, PNP Legal Service, and PNP Public Safety Company.  (FREEMAN)