Raps filed vs 7 suspects in Vigan judge slay

Murder complaints have been filed against seven individuals for last month’s killing of a trial court judge in Ilocos Sur. Facing charges are Benson Alviento, Henry Galapate, Rodrigo Urmin, a certain “Temy," and three John Does, according to the transmittal filed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) with the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday. The suspects, all residents of Candon City in Ilocos Sur, were implicated in the killing of Judge Reynaldo Lacasandile, 48, of the Regional Trial Court Branch 20 in Vigan City. Lacasandile was gunned down last October 4 by two men on board a motorcycle while he was walking to a bus station along the national highway in Brgy. Lacong in Tagudin, Ilocos Sur. He was the 21st judge to be killed since 1999, and the second in northern Luzon this year. The complaints were based on the confession of Urmin, who claimed that on September 30, he was recruited by Alvienta, Galapate and Temy to kill Lacasandile. Urmin reportedly said he was the driver of the motorcycle used in the killing, while Alvienta was the gunman. A witness claimed to have seen Urmin and Alviente on the scene of the crime during the time of the killing. International groups have condemned the culture of impunity in the Philippines, where journalists, activists, and human rights advocates had become targets. However, rarely has public attention been focused on the violence against judges. - KBK, GMANews.TV