Ex-detainee arrested for murder

ORMOC CITY—The police arrested a former political detainee on Wednesday in his house in Inopacan, Leyte province, to face murder and frustrated murder charges for allegedly killing two policemen and wounding another in 2004. No bail was recommended.

But Jaime Soledad, 63, denied the allegation, saying he didn’t kill any police officer.

He said he was arrested on March 25, 2008, on a case related to the discovery of a mass grave in Inopacan town, but he said he was released on July 25, 2011, together with 16 others, as a result of the peace talks between the government and the National Democratic Front.

Soledad’s wife Clarita, 54, was with him at the city police station 1 jail. He was expected to be committed to the Ormoc City jail.

Court records showed that Soledad and three others were charged with two counts of murder and one count of frustrated murder, said lawyer Milreysa Dayandayan, clerk of court of Ormoc Regional Trial Court Branch 35.

His  coaccused were Luis Villena alias Kumander Bagang and alias Kulas, Nestor Caliwan alias Kumander Boy Caliwan and Conrado Labartini alias Kumander Dondon. All three remained at large.  Elvie Roman Roa, Inquirer Visayas