‘Abadilla 5’ optimistic they will be freed before Christmas

MANILA, Philippines — The five men collectively called “Abadilla 5” who were convicted for the murder of Colonel Rolando Abadilla in 1996, are optimistic that they will be spending their Christmas with their families.

In a Radyo Inquirer 990 AM report, Rolamdo Lumanog, Abadilla 5 leader and spokesman said that there is a high possibility that they will be released from the maximum security prison of the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City on Monday adding that they have packed their belongings since last week.

Lumanog also thanked Justice Secretary Leila de Lima and the Board of Pardon and Paroles for commuting their life imprisonment sentence.

Lumanog also told Radyo Inquirer 990 AM that last Friday, he and his companions were clothed and ready to leave because they thought they were to be released that day. He added that he gave his old clothes and beddings to his other inmates.

Meanwhile, former Senior Police Officer 2 Cesar Fortuna said that he will no longer return to police service and instead will spend time with his family.

The five accused—Lumanog, Fortuna, Joel de Jesus, Rameses de Jesus and Augusto Santos—claimed they were innocent and accused their police captors of torturing them into admitting that they were involved in the killing of Abadilla, a former military official during the Marcos regime.