The widow of murdered former barangay captain Eleuterio Salabas yesterday expressed dismay over the reinforced order of the Office of the President for the reinvestigation of his kidnap-slay case and those of his two companions, denying their motion for reconsideration.

Elizabeth Salabas also said this did not surprise her, saying the president's office had repeatedly intervened whenever their kidnapping with murder case against 12 former police officers and 12 civilians prospers.

She added that they will now leave the matter to their lawyers.

In a television interview, lawyer Ernesto Treyes showed a copy of the order that reiterated an earlier order to the Provincial Prosecutor's Office of Guihulngan, Negros Oriental to reinvestigate the case.

Treyes is the legal counsel of former Chief Inspector Clarence Dongail and SPO2 Freddie Natividad who were arrested recently and are now detained at the Guihulngan District Jail.

Dongail and Natividad, and 10 other former law enforcers, have been accused of abducting and killing Salabas, Maximo Lomoljo, and Ricardo Suganob in August 2003.

The other accused former police officers are former Bacolod City Police Office chiefs Vicente Ponteras and George Bajelot, Inspector Jonathan Lorilla, Bonifer Gotas, SPO4 Jimmy Fortaleza, SPO1 Nelson Grijaldo, PO2's Allen Winston Hulleza, Nelson Belandres, Ruel Villacanas, and PO1 Bernardo Cimatu.

Businessman Manolo Escalante, Ronnie Herera, Carlo de los Santos alias "Caloy", Mamerto, Elma, and Nelson, all surnamed Cañete, Jude Montilla, and Ramonito Estanislao, are also included in the charges.*PP

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