The Commission on Human Rights will present this week two witnesses in a murder case in Milagrosa, Santa Catalina, Oriental Negros, to determine the involvement of alleged Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army members Raul Villar and Fernando Mahilum.

This developed as Wilma, the wife of Ka Villar who was apprehended recently, revealed the involvement of her husband in the Sta. Catalina ambush slaying of four municipal employees in May 8, 2002. She clarified, that it was staged while her husband was still with the Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade but could not tell what year Drilon joined the NPA.

In November, Annabel Grajo of Barangay Milagrosa, Santa Catalina was murdered, allegedly by the members of the New People's Army-Southern Command. Grajo was allegedly a former member of the left-leaning organization, but later became an informant of the Philipine Army in Bayawan City.

CHR investigator Jesus Canete said he will ask the witnesses to identify Villar and Mahilum and confirm if they were responsible for the murder of Grajo. He said, however, that there is no assurance yet that the captured suspects were involved in the killing in order to file the case in court. Cañete said that, once the case is filed in court, the children of Grajo can claim financial assistance from the government.

On the other hand, provincial PNP director S/Supt. Buenafe said that Drilon had pleaded not guilty to robbery with multiple homicide charges during his arraignment Wednesday, at the Regional Trial Court, Hall of Justice, in Dumaguete City.

Meanwhile, family members of Villar and Mahilum claimed they have been deprived of their right to visit the two while under the custody of the police provincial command.

Wilma Villar, wife of Raul, told the DAILY STAR, she is lamenting the refusal of the police to let her see her husband last week. She admitted having come without any identification cards or a residence certificate.

Buenafe, vehemently belied her claim and said that it was even the initiative of the provincial command to look for the relatives of Villar in Kakha, Sta. Catalina, so they could visit him and Mahilum and they were able to locate Drilon's father-in-law Loreto, a barangay kagawad in Talalak.

Contrary to the claim of his wife, Buenafe said, their legal counsel Gary Tabios, relatives of Drilon and his father-in-law had conferred with him inside the camp. He added that the refusal of the guards was for security reasons, especially for people whose identities are not established.

Drilon said one the threats on his life came from his former comrades in the RPA/ABB and he thanked the provincial command for his secured custody.

Mahilum's sister, Narcisa Sarlatan, also claimed they were refused entry to the camp to visit him when she and her husband Jose and sister Elizabeth traveled from Aloguinsan, Cebu to see him.

Mahilum's family in Aloguinsan said they could not believe he would become an NPA rebel because he seldom speaks and was a peace loving citizen.

His livelihood back home was by a "canvasser", peddling pillows, blanket, shoes, and towels, they said, before he disappeared from Aloguinsan four months ago.

Buenafe said the command is extra careful about letting people inside the camp without double-checking their true identities first.*MA/JG

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