Murder witness’ parents sue DOJ Sec, others

By March 25, 2013Headlines, News

WHO has the priority and right over the welfare and security of a state witness who is a minor? The parents or the state?

The answer to this question is what the parents of a 16-year old used as a state witness to a murder case filed against the Pangasinan governor and a congressman seeks to establish when they filed a civil suit against Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) chief and three others before the Regional Trial Court in Manila.

Jaime Aquino and his wife Ester filed on March 15 the case against Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, NBI Director Nonnatus Caesar Rojas, Department of Social Welfare and Development-National Capital Region Regional Director Ma. Alicia Bonoan, Akap ng mga Bata Philippines Executive Director Ruel Garcia and former Quezon City Barangay Chairman Manuel Tolentino.

The Aquinos alleged the “defendants conspired with each other to commit acts of persecution and child abuse to cause on the plaintiffs, exceedingly disgusting sleepless nights, fears, anxieties, besmirched reputation and causing threats to life, liberty and security of the persons of the plaintiffs and their entire family”.

Jaime Aquino, publisher of a local newspaper, said in the couple’s complaint that the continued custody of his son by the DSWD, NBI and Garcia’s group is a clear violation of their rights as parents even as he claimed there is no sufficient ground for the public defendants to deprive the parents of the parental authority.

The Aquino couple is seeking P500,000 damages.

Jaime said all the allegations alluded to by his son are improbable. “Is there any father in the world who would bring his minor son to any meeting when the topic to be talked about is a plot to murder?,” Jaime asked.

Jaime’s son named Gov. Amado Espino Jr and first district Rep. Jesus Celeste in the murder complaint for allegedly masterminding the killing of Infanta, Pangasinan Mayor Ruperto Martinez last December.

The boy witness also impleaded his father in the case. He claimed he was present when his father, the governor and the congressman talked about killing Martinez in a resort in Bolinao, Pangasinan.–Eva Visperas

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