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Fiscals
assure Chua family
By Jonathan Vicente
Manila
Times, Sunday, June 23, 2002
http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2002/jun/23/metro/20020623met2.html
STATE
lawyers assured the family of slain University of Santo Tomas
student Mark Welson Chua that the prosecution panel had enough
witnesses and evidence to prove the guilt of the remaining
respondents of the Chua murder case.
The
prosecutors gave the assurance to the Chua family after Manila
Regional Trial Court Branch 27 Judge Teresa Soriaso ordered
the release of respondent Genesis Binagatan last June 19.
The judge said the prosecution panel failed to justify Binagatan’s
participation in the murder of Chua and dismissed the case
against him for lack of merit.
The
judge added the dismissal of the case was based on the apparent
lack of interest on the part of the prosecution in pursuing
the case against Binagatan.
The
remaining suspects in the Chua slay case, however, are still
at large and have warrants of arrest issued against them.
They are Paul Joseph Tan of Binondo, Manila; Michael Von Rainard
Manangbao of Sta. Mesa; Eduardo Tabrilla of Pasay City; Patrick
Christopher Cruz of San Juan; and Arnulfo Aparri Jr.
The
absence of the suspects left the judge with no choice but
to temporarily stop the hearing until all the accused are
arrested and arraigned in court.
Chua
was killed inside the UST Department of Military Science and
Tactics headquarters after writing articles in the college
paper alleging several anomalies in the university’s
ROTC unit.
His
body was later recovered from a river wrapped in a carpet
four days later.
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