Kapunan’s transfer to jail deferred

EX-COL. Eduardo ‘‘Red’’ Kapunan (in white shirt) is immediately whisked out of the Antipolo City courthouse by military escorts. PHOTO BY KRISTINE FELISSE MANGUNAY

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Army has postponed the transfer of detained  retired Air Force Colonel Red Kapunan to Rizal Provincial Jail after he filed a motion for reconsideration.

“Yesterday (Tuesday) the Intelligence Security Group through its Legal Officer, Atty Alex Popanes received a copy of the order from RTC Branch 98 Presiding Judge Ma Consejo Gengos-Ignalaga, ordering the ISG to immediately transfer the custody and detention of Eduardo Kapunan Jr to the Rizal Provincial Jail- BJMP at Cabrera Road, Barangay Dolores, Tikling, Rizal,” said Army spokesman Major Harold Cabunoc.

However, he said that the Army will defer the transfer pending the determination of the court on the motion filed by the private counsels of the accused. The Army received a copy of  Kapunan’s motion at 8:40 a.m. Tuesday.

Lawyer Edre Olalia, one of the private prosecutors and a cousin of the slain labor leader Rolando Olalia, said the postponement of Kapunan’s transfer was “not totally unexpected.”

“They have done this several times wherein they do not follow orders and invoke certain grounds we do not agree with,” he told INQUIRER.net.

Kapunan is a  principal suspect in the double murder case of labor leader Rolando “Ka Lando” Olalia and driver Leonor Alay-ay  in 1986.