Court orders arrest of Lezo, Aklan mayor for journalist's murder
Kalibo, Aklan -- Lezo, Aklan Mayor Alfredo Arcenio is now the subject of a manhunt operation by police operatives here after the court ordered his immediate arrest in line with the killing of former Bombo Radyo Kalibo station manager Herson "Boy" Hinolan.
Judge Virgilio Paman of the Branch 7 of the Aklan Regional Trial Court ordered the immediate arrest of Arcenio.
To recall, Assistant Regional State Prosecutor Virgilio P. Garcia declared that there is a probable cause for the filing of murder qualified with treachery case against the principal accused.
Garcia also ordered "modification of the first resolution of the Aklan Provincial Prosecutors office dated March 3, 2005 and consequently the Information for Homicide in a criminal case filed in court be withdrawn, and an amended Information for Murder be filed against Arcenio."
Arcenio's lawyers asked the court to conduct a formal hearing on determining the probable cause of the said information but such pleading was denied by Paman.
Paman said the SCRA jurisprudence mandates that there is no requirement that the "complete or entire records of the case during the preliminary investigation be submitted to and examined by the Judge."
"We do not intend to unduly burden trial courts by obliging them to examine the complete records of every case all the time simply for the purpose of ordering the arrest of the accused," he said. "In this case, after going over the resolution and the amended information and the evidence presented during the preliminary investigation and re-investigation the court finds probable cause for issuance of warrant of arrest against Arcenio for murder."
Hinolan was shot dead along D. Maagma corner Mabini St. in Kalibo on Nov. 13, 2004.
(PNA)