“Why put blame only to those whose hands actually pulled the trigger, or stuck the knife in, or gouged the eyes, or stuffed the mouths, and not those whose minds, (who) credible testimonies indubitably point to, had hatched the crime?”
Citing former Air Force Col. Eduardo Kapunan’s right to “full liberty”, lawyer Lorna Kapunan led her team of lawyers in offering to Branch 98 Rizal Regional Trial Court six exhibits, all but one of which were objected to by the private prosecutors from the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers.
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.”
A state witness said then colonel Gringo Honasan headed the Special Operations Group, under the Defense department, that abducted and killed labor leaders Rolando Olalia and Leonor Alay-ay in 1986.
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
In recent hearings, the counsel for accused and former Air Force Col. Eduardo “Red” Kapunan accused the state witness of accepting millions of pesos from Kapunan to recant his confession and pursuing it in exchange for immunity.
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.