Daily Tribute reporter’s wife confirms subject in arrest warrant

MANILA, Philippines—Gemma Angeles, wife of The Daily Tribune reporter who was shot by still unidentified assailant Sunday evening, said Thursday the subject in the arrest warrant released to the media by the Eastern Police District Wednesday, is her husband.

Speaking to reporters at the Pasig General Hospital in Pasig City, Gemma, however, insisted that her husband’s name is Fernan Jose Angeles, and not Fernando Javier Angeles, as stated in the arrest warrant issued by acting Presiding Judge Paz Esperanza Cortes of Branch 154 of the Regional Trial Court of Pasig City dated July 12 for possession of illegal drugs.

Asked why the subject’s signature under the booking sheet report for her husband’s first arrest February last year for alleged possession of an unspecified amount of illegal drugs was “Fernando Angeles,” Gemma only said that she doesn’t know why it was like that, and if it was, indeed, her husband’s hand writing.

Based on the booking sheet of the Eastern Police District, it turned out that Angeles was arrested on February 28, 2011, for alleged possession of an unspecified amount of methamphetamine hydrochloride, also known as shabu, in a police operation in Barangay (village) Pinagbuhatan, Pasig City, where he also resides.

In earlier reports, Angeles then posted bail but the court again ordered his arrest five months later for his failure to attend the hearings.

To his defense, National Press Club (NPC) president Jerry Yap said Angeles didn’t receive any subpoena for a hearing, adding that Angeles’ family were even surprised to be informed that there was a pending arrest warrant issued last year.

Yap has tasked NPC lawyers Cerilo Sabare and Dervin Castro to handle the active warrant of arrest waiting for Angeles, to particularly clear out with Pasig RTC the “technicalities” in the warrant, of which includes the discrepancy in the subject’s first and middle name.

Castro said that while the arrest warrant can really be served when Angeles’ condition becomes stable, he said the court will consider the subject’s health condition.

“What harm can Angeles do in his condition right now?” he added.

Wife requests police to stay on the case

But while Gemma has confirmed that the subject of the arrest warrant is her husband, she expressed her dismay over the course of the investigation by the police.

“Nalilihis na e. S’ya ang biktima dito, hindi suspect. (It’s being diverted. He is the victim not the suspect).”

Commenting on EPD’s request to have her wounded husband tested for drugs, she said, “nasa ICU [intensive care unit] na, ipapa-drug test niyo pa? (He’s already in the ICU, why insist a drug test on him?),” she said adding she doesn’t understand why her husband is being criticized.

Yap thought of the same and said in behalf of NPC that they condemn the press conference made by Superintendent Ganaban Ali, public information chief of the Eastern Police District, focusing on the warrant for Angeles.

“Akala namin update sa kaso, yun pala warrant. Unahin muna itong kaso (We thought it’s an update on the case but instead it’s a warrant of arrest),” he said.

He said, however, that they are satisfied by the investigation of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, saying that its investigators already have a lead.

Gemma said her husband is still inside the intensive care unit, stable and is communicating with them through pen and paper.

Angeles was shot several times with a .45-caliber pistol near his home at the Cattleya compound on Evangelista Street in Barangay Pinagbuhatan, Pasig City around 10:15 p.m. Sunday.