KMU warns vs powerful backers of suspects in Olalia, Alay-ay slay

While the labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno hailed the surrender of former Air Force colonel and Rebolusyonaryong Alyansang Makabansa (RAM) leader Eduardo “Red” Kapunan, one of the alleged main perpetrators of the Rolando Olalia-Leonor Alay-ay double murder, it fears that the case might be whitewashed.

By MARYA SALAMAT
Bulatlat.com

MANILA — Labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno hailed the surrender of former Air Force colonel and Rebolusyonaryo ng Alyansang Makabansa (RAM) leader Eduardo “Red” Kapunan, one of the alleged main perpetrators of the Rolando Olalia-Leonor Alay-ay double murder. The labor group described Kapunan’s surrender as a welcome development in the continuing trial on the case.

Kapunan surrendered Oct 6 to the Philippine Army. He and 12 other accused, all members of RAM, had been issued a warrant of arrest each by the Antipolo Regional Trial Court Branch 98 since February.

Last July, former Sgt. Desiderio Perez, another suspect, surrendered to police authorities in the province. The police superintendent in charge of the case, Ceasar Tannagan, used to be a member, too, of the Philippine Army.

Kapunan “is one of the highest-ranking military officials in the list of suspects in the Olalia-Alay-ay double murder case,” said Elmer “Bong” Labog, chairman of KMU.

“We hope that all the other suspects will also surrender or be arrested. We hope they will disclose who really is the mastermind in the killing of our comrades as well as other fellow activists killed at that time,” Labog said.

“We are glad that there are positive developments in the case. Justice must be served for our comrades KaLando and Ka Leonor,” he added.

Olalia and Alay-ay were found dead, bearing marks of torture, in Antipolo in Nov. 13, 1986. It is widely believed that they were killed as part of RAM’s Oplan Save the Queen, which aimed to remove the then president Cory Aquino from power.

Among those accused in the case are: Oscar Legaspi, Filomeno Maligaya, Cirilo Almario, Jose Bacera, Fernando Casanova, Ricardo Dicon, Gilbert Galicia, Dennis Jabatan, Gene Paris, Freddie Sumagaysay, and Edger Sumido – all members of the RAM, which was headed by current Senate Pres. Juan Ponce Enrile and Sen. Gringo Honasan.

Why the special treatment?

Though the labor group led by Olalia at the time of his murder viewed the developments positively, it condemns the “special treatment being given to Kapunan. He is a retired military officer and should be under police custody, not military custody,” Labog said.

Kapunan is detained at the Philippine Army’s Civil Military Unit in Fort Bonifacio, while Perez is under police custody in Rizal.

“Our optimism in this case is a guarded one. We fear that the Aquino government, which is not sincere in attaining justice for our comrades, is simply using the case to achieve certain political ends,” Labog said.

“We fear that the continuing trial on the case will simply be used to clean the names of the suspects, who have powerful backers in government,” he added.

Labog recalled how the call for the reopening of the double murder case had been issued by a press release falsely bearing KMU’s name. The release supposedly cited as basis for the renewed call the Aquino government’s efforts at attaining justice.