Prelim probe still hangs on Tan massacre
The Zayco-Tan children, from left, Kristine
(back to the camera), Katrina, Kathlyn and Raffy
(partly hidden) with their close relatives from the
Zayco side during one of their appearances at the
sala of RTC Branch 30 Judge Adriano Savillo.
File photo
Preliminary investigation on the celebrated massacre of Filipino-Chinese businessman, his wife and 6 year-old daughter continue to hang with yet another "delay." As a matter of due process, the fate of two stepsons, principal suspects in the murder and parricide complaints are yet to be known with the Iloilo City Prosecutor's Office setting a date early next month for the last clarificatory questioning.
The earlier delay was caused by a granted motion of the respondent siblings, Archie and Jan Michael Tan, with the duo's counsel seeking for a parallel probe from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
The bureau's findings were reported to be synonymous to what the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) had submitted before government prosecutors. It has been eleven days now since the NBI officially turned over its probe results that helped establish what and who killed couple Francisco Bobby Tan, wife Cindy Zayco and daughter Katherine .
"That is fine. Let them avail and enjoy all the due process that they can have and let them exhaust all remedies. After all, we are confident that truth and justice will ultimately prevail and those responsible in the senseless killings will pay for their dastardly crime," lawyer Cornelio Panes, co-counsel for the Zayco family said in a The News Today (TNT) interview.
Such as Panes pointed out their camp's eventual agreement to allow the NBI to do more investigation with the move initiated by Tan family matriarch, Conchita Tan.
"They wanted the NBI not trusting the CIDG's findings then so be it. It is just a matter of time when the preliminary investigation will finally take place and we are ready for it. We stand by the CIDG," he added.
Radio reports disclosed that Chief City Prosecutor Efraim Baldago and Assistant Prosecutor Jeremy Bionat were reportedly constrained to make any moves pending the clearance or direct order from Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez. What was just agreed upon by was the clarificatory questioning with insiders saying Baldago made particular mention that it was to be the "last" and preliminary investigation will have to push through as set.
Till then, Zayco family continues to have full custody of the five surviving Zayco-Tan children amidst the objection posed by Conchita Tan. Cases for habeas corpus, kidnapping and child abuse are amongst the several legal battle now faced by the two families.