Department of Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez yesterday said that he will assign a special prosecutor to handle the 2003 kidnapping and murder case of a former Bacolod barangay captain in Bacolod City, on request of his family.

Gonzalez told Aksyon-Radyo in an interview yesterday that is because he found the request of the family of Brgy. Pahanocoy Captain Eleuterio Salabas reasonable. He also said that prosecutors in Negros Oriental are hesitant to follow his orders, reports said.

Court records show Salabas, Ricardo Suganob and Maximo Lomoljo Jr. were kidnapped and murdered allegedly by 16 persons, six of whom were policemen, in Bacolod City on August 31, 2003.

In his affidavit signed on Oct. 26, 2006, Police asset Cecil Brillantes Jr., named Senior Supt. Vicente Ponteras, then Negros Occidental Police Director, and Senior Supt. George Bajelot, then Bacolod police director, among the policemen allegedly involved in the kidnapping and murder of Salabas and his companion. Meanwhile, Tom Orola, brother-in-law of Salabas, told the DAILY STAR in a phone interview last night that Brillantes' statement is just the tip of an iceberg, adding that the Salabas case is becoming clearer. He said Brillantes' affidavit will also be supported by other witnesses.

Orola, a businessman, said he is not confirming nor denying whether warrants of arrest were released against four other policemen and a police asset allegedly involved in the case.

Acting Bacolod City police director Senior Supt. Ronilo Quebrar yesterday denied that he has received copies of the alleged warrants of arrest against the five.

Earlier, Guihulngan Regional Trial Court Mario Trinidad had issued warrants of arrest against Chief Insp. Clarence Dongail, SPO2 Freddie Natividad, Chief Insp. Jimmy Fortaleza, PO1 Bernardo Cimatu, PO2 Allen Winston Hulleza, and Senior Insp. Jonathan Lorilla for the kidnapping and murder of Salabas. The case is non-bailable.

The other respondents are businessman Manolo Escalante, Ronnie Herrera, July Flores alias Kirhat dela Rosa, Carlo delos Santos alias Caloy, Lorraine Abay alias Lulu, Mamerto, Elma and Elson all surnamed Cañete, Jude Montilla and Ramonito Estanislao.*DMG

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