Another Olalia slay suspect captured

Another one of the 13 accused in the killing of labor leader Rolando Olalia and his driver more than 20 years ago was arrested by the police on Oct. 24, a lawyer said on Wednesday.

Edre Olalia,  private prosecutor in the Olalia-Alay-ay double-murder case, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer over the phone that Sgt. Dennis Jabatan was picked up by authorities in Taguig City.

Olalia said that based on an affidavit executed by the prosecution’s principal witness, T/Sgt. Medardo Dumlao Baretto, in January 1998, Jabatan was one of those who stabbed the Kilusang Mayo Uno leader in 1986.

His body and that of his driver, Leonor Alay-ay, were found in Antipolo City in November of that year.

According to Olalia, he received the information of Jabatan’s arrest from Julius Mila, clerk of court of the Antipolo Regional Trial Court Branch 98, where the trial of two other accused—retired military officers Desiderio Perez and Red Kapunan—is being conducted.

Quoting Mila, Olalia said that Jabatan was being held at the Rizal provincial jail.

Perez, meanwhile, is in detention at the Rizal Provincial Police Office, and Kapunan, at the National Bureau of Investigation.

The others are still at large.

“This is a major development considering (what the principal witness) said was Jabatan’s major participation not only in surveillance, but also in the killing,” Olalia said.