A pastor of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) and his six co-accused were freed on Tuesday, Nov. 19, after nearly six years in jail.
Released from the Negros Occidental District Jail in Bago City were UCCP Pastor Jimie Teves, Jodito Montesino, Jeppy Romano, Jasper Aguyong, Rogelio Sabanal, Eliseo Andres, and Rodrigo Medes.
Susan Medes was freed on Monday.
They were freed after Kabankalan Regional Trial Court Judge Rodney Magbanua acquitted them of two counts of murder and seven counts of frustrated murder on Monday.
They were accused of being members of the Communist Party- New People’s Army responsible for the death of two Army soldiers – PFC Vicente Marcon and Sgt. Sandy Arevalo of the 62nd Infantry Battalion and the injury of seven others in an encounter at Barangay Tan-awan, Kabankalan City, on May 12, 2018.
The judge said the prosecution failed to prove their guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
His clients were red tagged and falsely accused, their lawyer Rey Gorgonio said.*