Murder victim’s kin plead for witnesses vs soldiers

NAGA CITY—The family of a Coast Guard member who was killed allegedly by soldiers is appealing to witnesses to come out to give justice to their relative even as a top Army official said the soldiers are already restricted to barracks.

Bianca Jackes, Filipino-Australian cousin of Coast Guard member Vladimir Eduarte, said in a letter to Inquirer that the family is pleading for justice for Eduarte, who was shot dead during a brawl outside a bar in Bulan, Eduarte’s hometown.

Col. Cesar Idio, head of the 903rd Infantry Brigade based in Sorsogon province, said 13 soldiers suspected of being behind Eduarte’s killing are already restricted to barracks and under his administrative jurisdiction.

Idio said the soldiers, all from the 31st Infantry Battalion, would be subjected to paraffin tests. Ballistics tests on five guns believed to have been used in Eduarte’s killing had been conducted on Monday.

Eduarte was shot in the back around 2 a.m. on April 12 while outside Paraiso Bar in Bulan, according to Jackes.

Jackes said Eduarte and two other companions had a fist fight with a group of soldiers when a man ran behind Eduarte and shot him.

“A bullet pierced his (Eduarte’s) right lumbar area which exited through the abdomen,” said Jackes in her letter.

She said nobody helped her bleeding cousin, who fell to the ground until Jackes’ brother arrived at the bar, 45 minutes after the shooting.

Eduarte died on the way to the nearest hospital, which Jackes said is around an hour from the crime scene.

Idio said a “rumble” took place between Eduarte’s group and the soldiers.

He said there were only nine soldiers initially identified as involved in the bar brawl but “further investigation showed there were four other soldiers present.”

He said two of the five guns submitted for ballistics tests were found not compatible with the one used in shooting Eduarte. Three other guns would undergo ballistic tests.

Jackes, in a phone interview on Monday, said the family’s biggest challenge in filing a case in court against Eduarte’s killer is finding a witness who can point to the soldier who pulled the trigger.

Nine of the soldiers, according to Jackes’ letter, were identified as Cpl. Jose Frugalidad Perillo, Cpl. Restitubo Francia Ramos, Pfc. Gemard Selorico Timple, Pfc. Gerald Sambas Larce, Pfc. Elmer Pernecita Araya, Pfc. Gemar Sartin Francia, Pfc. Jose Rivera Parma, Pfc. Marvin Oro Noora and a certain Gleen Golahab Noval.

“My family and I ask only for justice,” said Jackes’ letter. “It is shameful that these men who are trusted to protect our country and our people are committing these heinous acts,” it said. Juan Escandor Jr., Inquirer Southern Luzon