29-pn-legal: Lawyers of 3 death convicts question court verdict
Balita News
ILOILO CITY, June 28 (PNA)- The lawyers of the newly convicted
teachers identified to be the perpetrators of Valen Lanestosa, a high
school student of Duenas General Comprehensive High School who was found
raped and killed, questioned the verdict of Judge Tito G. Gustilo right
after it was rendered this morning at the Hall of Justice, Iloilo City.
Atty. Ma. Rita Bascos-Sarabia, who represented suspect Rex Padilla,
said that her client is innocent and that she's hopeful on the wisdom of
the Supreme Court when it takes up an automatic review the decision
rendered by Judge Gustilo.
She sad that Gustilo's long decision on criminal case No.46604 was
not presented to them for their rebuttal before it was rendered today.
She also lamented that their presented evidences, such as a picture
showing that her client was at the Social Hall during that time when the
crime was supposed to have been committed by him and his two other
co-accused, was only considered lightly by the court.
Sarabia further contended that the court should not have rather taken
seriously the statements of lone-star witness Rene Tirado because "those
were contradictory and inconsistent statements."
The lady lawyer also said that how can her client be guilty because
he even helped recover the body of Valen Lanestosa on a well where it
was dumped evening of February 29.
During the rendition of the "guilty verdict" to the three accused
persons, Padilla shouted to the top of his voice that he was not guilty.
His wife Nila and two children who were inside the court also cried
loudly as they clung to Padilla who was immediately accosted by the
jailguards to be remitted to the Iloilo Rehabilitation Center (IRC).
Meanwhile, Atty. Arthur Padohinog, lawyer of Jerry Prudente also
said that the witness was not credible in his testimonies because he was
flip-flopping. He also believe that the Supreme Court can see better
light on this case when it conducts automatic review.
Atty. Oscar Billena, lawyer of Ernie Palomo who was apprehended in
Marinduque on November 11, 1996 while he was working on a shop under an
assumed name Pablo Galvez, also couldn't believe the decision of the
court based on similar reasons of the two other lawyers.
Palomo's apprehension is also of interestig note because he was only
identified by the Marinduque policemen when his face was flashed in the
Calvento Files when they featured the story of Lanestosa.
Ilonggos here in the city gave different reactions towards the
convicted teachers. There were some who were in the courtroom this
morning who said that they pitty the accused persons and their families
who nearly collapsed in tears during the reading of the decision. Others
also said that these convicts just deserve the "supreme penalty of
death" because what they did to Lanestosa was so brutal and inhuman.
Judge Gustilo after the reading of the decision this morning
immediately left the courtroom and begged off to be interviewed. (PNA)
JV /wpt/NAG/ AJP/:
PNA 06280708