20 years on, Pestaño kin say murder case ‘rolling’

Twenty years after Navy Ensign Philip Pestaño was found dead in his cabin on a naval transport ship, the wheels of justice are finally rolling, his family said on Sunday.

Gathered at the Libingan ng Mga Bayani in Taguig City on Sunday morning, Pestaño’s family and friends remembered the cargo officer as someone who valued honesty and who would fight for what he believed in.

Former Sen. Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr., counsel for Pestaño’s family, said that after two decades, the perpetrators of the murder would soon be brought to justice.

On Sept. 27, 1995, Pestaño was found on his bed in his cabin on the BRP Bacolod City with a gunshot wound in his right temple. The vessel was on its way to Manila from Sangley Point in Cavite.

Earlier investigations conducted by the Senate and the Armed Forces of the Philippines concluded that it was a case of suicide, but Pestaño’s family believed he was killed after he learned that the ship’s officers were involved in illegal activities like the smuggling of logs and guns.

When the criminal case was reopened in 2011 in the Manila Regional Trial Court, Pimentel said the proceedings were still slow but noted that there were developments.

One of these was the arraignment last October of the 10 accused, who included Commander Reynaldo Lopez, Commander Luidegar Casis, Commander Alfrederick Alba, Lt. Commander Joselito Colico, Hospital Man First Class Welmenio Aquino, Machinery Repair First Class Sandy Miranda and two now retired officers—Lt. Commander Ricardo Ordoñez and Petty Officer 2 Mil Leonor.

Hearings usually postponed

All of them entered not-guilty pleas in the murder charge filed against them, while two suspects—Lt. Commander Ruben Roque and Petty Officer First Class Carlito Amoroso—remain at large.

“The hearings would usually be postponed because they do not have their lawyer with them,” said Pimentel, noting that the family was not expecting the case to be decided within the year but hoped that it would be over next year.

Pestaño’s father, Felipe Pestaño, told the media the family was thankful that over the past 20 years they had learned what really happened to their son.

He said he was hoping that those responsible for his son’s death would be brought to justice.

“We never gave up in our quest for justice because we know the truth and we have the support of a lot of people,” Pestaño said at the Bulwagan sa Libingan ng mga Bayani, which was filled with about 100 family members and friends of his son.

The family said there was still no date for the next hearing of the case after the respondents asked Manila RTC Branch 6 Judge Jansen Rodriguez to inhibit himself from the case.