Slain governor's son urges gov't to oppose Pacificador's refugee bid
The son of slain former Antique Gov. Evelio Javier has called on the government to present evidence before Canadian authorities to oppose the refugee bid of Rodolfo Pacificador who is wanted for his father's murder.
"They should file an opposition through the Philippine embassy," said Francis Gideon Javier in a telephone interview.
Gideon was reacting to a recent ruling of the Federal Court of Canada (FCC) ordering a third hearing on Pacificador's bid for a refugee status.
The 51-year-old Pacificador, who has been staying in Canada for two decades, is among the principal accused in Javier's murder who have remained at large.
The former governor, a prominent leader of the political opposition against the Marcos Dictatorship, was gunned down in broad daylight on Feb. 11, 1986 by heavily armed men at the public plaza during the canvassing of votes of the snap presidential elections. Four of his supporters were injured.
Pacificador's father, former assemblyman Arturo Pacificador, was acquitted of charges in Javier's murder on Oct. 2004. But eight of his supporters, mainly his security men, were convicted.
The FCC last month reversed a ruling of the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) denying Rodolfo's application. It ordered a new hearing by a different panel of the IRB to hear his application.
The court said the Board "erred in finding that the applicant does not face risk due to a lengthy and arbitrary detention, and that there is not a serious possibility or reasonable chance he will be tortured or mistreated."
Gideon said the perception of Canadian courts on the situation of those accused and convicted for his father's murder are not true.
"They could not even be kept in jail," said Gideon, referring to several instances during the 18-year trial of his father's case where detained suspects were seen outside the detention center including an instance where the presiding judge saw one of the accused in a shopping mall.
One of the detained accused, Rolando Bernardino, escaped from the Antique Rehabilitation Center before the promulgation of the case.
But Arturo Pacificador welcomed the Canadian court ruling.
"It just shows that the Canadian courts firmly believe that my son will be persecuted and will not get a fair trail in Philippine court," he said in a telephone interview.
The former assemblyman has resumed practicing law and is president of the Antique chapter of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines. He ran but lost for governor of Antique in the May 14 elections but has protested the results.