Faces of the news: Supt. Santi Noel Matira, Diosdado Peralta, Misagh Bahadoran, others

Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa

As the country dealt with the shocking killing of Mayor Rolando Espinosa of Albuera, Leyte, inside his cell, the PNP chief was right inside the ring with Manny Pacquiao before the latter slugged it out with Jessie Vargas in Las Vegas. On his return, he said Pacquiao sponsored his travel. The Ombudsman didn’t find it amusing; it now wants to investigate him for accepting an all-expense paid trip from Pacquiao.

Supt. Santi Noel Matira

From anonymity, he came under the spotlight at the Senate inquiry into the mysterious killing of Mayor Espinosa. As supervisor of the 19-man Criminal Investigation and Detection Group team that swooped down on Espinosa’s cell and killed him, he alerted scene of the crime operatives before the team could serve the warrant on the mayor. This prompted Sen. Panfilo Lacson to ask, “Were you anticipating that you were going to kill someone?”

Richard Gomez

Away in London with his wife, Leyte Rep. Lucy Torres, his name cropped up at the Senate inquiry into Mayor Espinosa’s killing. Police Chief Insp. Leo Laraga said he received money from Espinosa’s son, Kerwin, a suspected drug lord, when he was still a member of his wife’s congressional staff. The actor, now Ormoc City mayor, dismissed the claim outright, calling it “politically motivated and very malicious.”

Diosdado Peralta

The Supreme Court associate justice who penned the ruling that cleared the way for the late strongman President Ferdinand Marcos’ burial at Libingan ng mga Bayani. While hailed by Marcos’ family and supporters seeking his redemption in history, the decision has sparked outrage among many Filipinos, and spontaneous protests among students, including those of Ateneo de Manila University, in and out of their campuses.

Edcel Lagman

Shortly after the Supreme Court justices voted 9-5 to allow a hero’s burial for Marcos, the Albay lawmaker best articulated the sentiment of human rights victims. He said that while his brother Hermon and other desaparecidos during Marcos’ martial regime did not even “have crosses to mark their graves, their very tormentor and violator will be honored” at Libingan ng mga Bayani.

Misagh Bahadoran

Playing their last tune-up match before plunging into action in their biggest tournament of the year, the Philippine Azkals stunned Kyrgyzstan, 1-0, Wednesday night in a friendly at Rizal Memorial Stadium. Misagh Bahadoran came off the bench to score what turned out to be the game-winning goal in the 65th minute as the Azkals returned to winning ways after losing to Bahrain and North Korea last month.