Father and son deny role in hazing death

By Florence F. Hibionada

Twin denials have now been finally made by the father and son embroiled in the violent death of a 19 year-old Criminology student of St. Therese College here.  “I know nothing about it,” the father said.  “I was not there,” the son for his part maintained.  Both have been named suspects alongside numerous others for the killing of Dan Robert Talibutab, second of the three siblings of couple Norma and Wilfredo Talibutab of Barangay Lanag Norte, Tubungan, Iloilo.
 
In an interview granted to The News Today, Sergio Pelopero, ex-officio member of the Dueñas Municipal Council came out to issue the strong denial while saying that it could be his political enemies who are out to pin him down.

Yes, he was home in their family’s half-a-hectare compound at Barangay Purog, Dueñas, Iloilo, the supposed crime scene as gathered by police in the evening of the alleged fatal hazing.  But no, the town’s Liga president stressed, he knows nothing about any hazing being done in his compound. What he admitted to TNT though was that he did saw about ten youngsters by their main house’s front porch, friends of his son Vincent and not the other alleged suspect, Kenny Roger.

“Why would I allow such activity to happen when I know it is illegal?,” he said in the local dialect.  “And my son Kenny was not even here.  There is nothing to say here for nothing happened at all.  And I also came home late and was a little drunk so I don’t anything.  I did not hear anything. When I woke the next day about 5am, the children were gone.  Then I just heard in the news that someone died of hazing and that it was in my compound.  I told the police what I know when they came here to investigate.  But then again, there is nothing to explain because I did no wrong.  They say it was with my son Kenny.  He was not even here.”

Asked if he would push for an investigation in the Dueñas municipal council, the controversial town liga chief quipped, “para ano? Wala na sang imbestigahan ‘ah.  Nakahambal na man ko to sa pulis.  (What for? There is nothing to investigate. I already spoke with the police).”

Similar position expressed by 21 year-old Kenny Roger when reached in an uncle’s house in Jaro District, Iloilo City.  Heavily-built and imposing in his 5’11” height, Kenny Roger spoke timidly when asked about his reaction on the death of Talibutab.  He doesn’t know the victim, he repeatedly said, as he went to deny any participation on the hazing or any hazing for that matter.
 
“Nga-a ma-entra man ko dira kag magpabalbal man? (Why will I join there and have myself beaten?),” he said when told about the recruitment of Kapatiran ng  Kabataan Kriminolohiya or KKK.  He did disclosed having received a text message from someone he could not name inviting him for an initiation.  Pressed for specifics, Kenny had no answers as to when that invitation was for nor its source.

Same strong denial regarding the other suspects, Gilbert Jardenico, a Criminology student of the University of Iloilo and Irene Villanus of St. Therese College, both he said were not known to him.
 
Investigation made by Dueñas police state otherwise though.  In a two-page investigation report obtained by The News Today, P/Inspector Julio Pama wrote of the conclusion, “therefore the undersigned finds ABC President Sergio Pelopero, Kenny Roger Pelopero, Gilbert Jardenico, Irene Villanuz, John Does and Peter Does are (sic) criminally liable in the killing of Dan Robert Talibutab, 2nd year B.S. Criminology student of St. Therese College, Brgy. Magdalo, Lapaz, Iloilo City and a resident of Brgy. Lanad Norte, Tubungan, Iloilo for the crime of violation of RA 8040 (Anti Hazing Law).”