Alleged ‘brains’ behind killing of ex-mining exec face raps

Evelyn Afdal, widow of the late retired Army Col. Samuel Afdal, shows a copy of her complaint-affidavit suing the alleged brains of her husband’s ambush two years ago in Agusan del Sur. CHRIS V. PANGANIBAN

PROSPERIDAD, Agusan del Sur—Exactly two years after the incident, the alleged brains in the ambush of retired Army Col. Samuel Afdal, former president of Philsaga Mining Corp., has been identified and now facing charges.

Afdal’s widow, Evelyn, filed a complaint-affidavit before the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office here on Thursday afternoon against a certain Ryan Mark Baylon for allegedly masterminding the ambush of her husband two years ago in Barangay Santa Cruz, Rosario town, Agusan del Sur.

Evelyn said Baylon was a business associate of her husband, who used to be a riding buddy of former President Rodrigo Duterte, both being members of the On Any Sunday Riders Club of Davao City.

“I am relieved now. I can’t express my emotions any further; otherwise, I’ll break down,” Afdal’s widow said, right after coming out of the office of provincial prosecutor Ceferino Dino Paredes.

Evelyn’s complaint largely stems from recent revelations by alleged gunman Jeffrey Mamerto, a former New People’s Army guerrilla who is now detained at the provincial jail.

Paredes revealed that Mamerto confessed to him that Baylon was supposedly behind the killing.

In the seven-page complaint, Evelyn cited how Mamerto also implicated two other alleged co-conspirators in the murder, namely, Rosalino B. Degracia (alias “Okie”) and Alemar Awado (alias “Dongkoy”), claiming that Baylon had induced them to ambush Afdal in exchange for financial compensation.

Afdal, known to friends as SAGA, was ambushed while he was driving alone on his Jimmy car uphill to an area where he had a mining prospect. Despite being wounded, the victim managed to drive his car from the ambush site to the compound of Rosario Manobo Mining Corp. (RMMC) to seek medical assistance. From there, he was rushed to a hospital for immediate treatment.

In a hot pursuit operation, Rosario police took hold of Mamerto for questioning days later, only to find out he also was wanted for another crime.

Mamerto was eventually charged before the Regional Trial Court Branch 6 in Prosperidad town, almost one year after Afdal succumbed to his injuries while being treated in a hospital.

The Inquirer learned that Baylon is an executive of RMMC hence asked the company to reach out to him so he can air his side.

With his recent confession, Paredes said that Mamerto could potentially become a state witness, depending on his willingness to cooperate with the prosecution. However, Paredes emphasized that cooperating as a state witness involves certain parameters.

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Mamerto was scheduled to face a pre-trial conference on Nov. 15, exactly two years after Afdal passed away.

Evelyn’s lawyer, Rommel Fontanilla, asserted that even with his recent confession, the case against Mamerto can proceed independently with that of Baylon who is to undergo preliminary investigation to determine probable cause to indict him for the crime.