By VICTOR REYES
THE military yesterday said it has a new
witness who can prove that Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo was in
Southern Leyte in 1985 to supervise the execution of scores
rebels and sympathizers who were suspected of being military
agents.
Lt. Col. Bartolome Baccaro, AFP public
information chief, declined to name the witness, citing security
reasons but he said the man was "very, very credible."
Six witnesses, all describing themselves as
former rebels, executed affidavits in September last year
against Ocampo in a multiple murder case which led to the
issuance of a warrant of arrest against him.
The six witnesses said Ocampo made numerous
visits to Southern Leyte from 1984, when the alleged order to
purge infiltrators was issued, to 1991.
They said Ocampo personally supervised the
killings, particular of victims whose remains were dug up in
2006 in a mass grave in Inopacan, Southern Leyte.
Ocampo earlier said the testimonies could not
possibly be true as he was arrested in 1974 and was released in
1992. He was under detention during that period except from May
1985, when he escaped from detention, to 1986 when he
resurfaced.
Bacarro said the new witness specifically
recalled the presence in Southern Leyte of Ocampo in 1985.
Bacarro said Ocampo escaped from the custody
of security forces in May 1985 while attending elections at the
National Press Club in Manila.
"Remember that, if I’m not mistaken, on May
5, 1985, he escaped during a meeting of the NPC. He resurfaced
in 1986. Then he was arrested in 1987 for a kidnapping and
murder charge," Bacarro said.
"So it was within that period, from 1985 when
he escaped until such time of his arrest in 1987, when he was
free to go around. It was during that period when the mass
murder began in Inopacan, Leyte," he said.
Bacarro said the military has more witnesses
who have "first hand accounts as to what happened." He said
these witnesses included former NPA rebels.
Ocampo was arrested by Manila policemen last
Friday based on a warrant issued by the Leyte regional trial
court for the alleged purge of 67 civilians and rebels whose
skeletal remains were exhumed by the military in August last
year.
Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said the
Cabinet has nothing to do with the PNP decision to fly Ocampo to
Hilongos, Leyte, the other day so he could be presented to Judge
Ephem Abando who issued the warrant of arrest against him.
The plane carrying Ocampo was already over
the island of Masbate when its pilot was ordered to return to
Manila.
Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño said the pilot
told them the reason was bad weather.
It turned out that Abando had issued an order
allowing Ocampo’s continued detention in Manila until after the
Supreme Court hearing on Friday of his petition to freeze the
arrest warrant.
Earlier in the morning, Abando said in a
radio interview he had issued such an order, but the PNP said it
needed a copy of the court of directive.
Lawyers of Ocampo said they struck last week
an agreement with Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno that their
client be allowed to be detained in Manila while waiting for the
Supreme Court hearing.
The agreement, however, was revoked during a
weekend meeting of the Cabinet security cluster, the lawyers
said.
Bunye said it was up for the PNP to explain
the attempt to transfer Ocampo to Leyte.
He said the Cabinet security cluster indeed
took up Ocampo’s case, but no action was taken because the issue
is before the courts.
"There was nothing to approve or discuss
since this is purely a judicial matter. This Cabinet group is
engaged in strategic policy discussions impinging on national
security, not on criminal litigations or proceedings," Bunye
said.
He said the security cluster is composed of the secretaries
of justice, of interior, of defense, of foreign affairs and the
national security adviser. – With Jocelyn Montemayor
