“[Judge Ma. Consejo] Ignalaga’s act paves the way for the acquittal of Kapunan and the clearing of the names of people who were higher than him in the Reform the Armed Forces Movement (RAM) chain of command, people who masterminded the murder of our comrades Olalia and Alay-ay.”
Accused former Air Force Col. Eduardo Kapunan admitted in court that he ordered the surveillance of labor leader Roland Olalia, who was later found brutally murdered with companion Leonor Alay-ay, in 1986.
Corroborating state witness Baretto’s statement, but limiting the extent of his involvement to just ordering the surveillance of Olalia, Kapunan admitted that he “asked Barretto to help Sumido in the surveillance of Olalia because of the slow progress (in Sumido’s work).”
“We are not surprised by Bueno’s admission, for we knew from the very beginning who the real perpetrators of the most ghastly torture and murder of our comrades Ka Lando and Ka Leonor were.”
By MARYA SALAMAT
Former Sgt. Eduardo Bueno named at least six soldiers involved in the surveillance, abduction, torture and murders of labor leader Rolando Olalia and companion Leonor Alay-ay, but, he said, he read in newspapers that most of them had been gunned down one by one.
By MARYA SALAMAT Bulatlat.com MANILA – The failed 1987 and 1989 coups d’état were often mentioned at the trial of former soldiers accused in the Olalia-Alay-ay double murder. According to the plan, the murder of Olalia was carried out to generate massive protests, which the Reform the AFP Movement (RAM) would ride on to launch…
By MARYA SALAMAT
The state witness revealed that the killing of labor leader Rolando Olalia and his companion Leonor Alay-ay was meant to ignite protests that would be used by the RAM to launch a coup d’état.
By MARYA SALAMAT
Failing to strip off Sgt. Medardo Dumlao Baretto’s status as state witness, defense lawyer Lorna Kapunan’s questioning this week proceeded to probe and try to cast doubt on his memory, motives, and the truthfulness or consistency of his sworn statement and testimony in court.
By MARYA SALAMAT
“When Gil Galicia was released from the custody of the crime investigators of Camp Crame, Col. Kapunan talked to me and asked ‘Di pa ba pwedeng iligpit iyan?’ (Can he not be silenced?)” – state witness Medardo Dumlao Baretto
By MARYA SALAMAT
“He turned to me for a moment, then turned his attention back to the person in front of him – I think it was a person wearing or covered in white, and I saw Sgt. Dennis Jabatan stab at the person twice.”