GOV. DOUGLAS CAGAS
MANILA, Philippines鈥擳he justice secretary has ordered the filing of murder charges against former Davao del Sur Gov. Douglas Cagas, Matanao town Mayor Vicente Fernandez and two others for the 2010 slay of Digos City reporter Nestor Bedolido Sr., reversing its dismissal for what she viewed as an improper application of a legal principle on witness testimonies.
In a resolution on Aug. 26, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima reversed earlier resolutions of the Prosecutor General and investigating prosecutor that dismissed charges against Cagas and Fernandez and further recommended that two other alleged accomplices, Bado Sanchez and Ali Ordaneza, be charged.
She also ordered that charges be dropped against three suspects earlier indicted for the slay鈥攇unman and primary witness Voltaire Mirafuentes, his brother Henry Mirafuentes Jr. who corroborated his testimony and Artemio Timosan鈥攁gainst whom De Lima found 鈥渘o sufficient evidence to establish probable cause.鈥�
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Gunman鈥檚 confession
In confessing to the crime, Mirafuentes said he had shot Bedolido dead on June 19, 2010, on orders of Cagas and Fernandez, with the collusion of Ordaneza and Sanchez 鈥渋n planning and carrying out鈥� the slay, the resolution read.
Bedolido, a reporter for weekly tabloid Kastigador, died of six gunshot wounds outside his karaoke bar in Digos City. His death was linked to 鈥渆xpos茅s鈥� published during elections of the same year.
De Lima, in her resolution, said the statements of the Mirafuentes brothers 鈥渁re positive, categorical and sufficient to form a reasonable belief that murder has been committed and that [the four ordered charged] are probably guilty鈥� of the crime.
She granted witness protection for the Mirafuentes brothers, 鈥渇or which reason they should be granted immunity from prosecution in this case.鈥�
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