A pastor of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) and his co-accused, also known as the Himamaylan 7, were acquitted of two counts of murder and seven counts of frustrated murder for failure of the prosecution to prove their guilt beyond reasonable doubt on Monday, Nov. 18, their lawyer Rey Gorgonio said.
Acquitted by Kabankalan Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 61 Judge Rodney Magbanua were UCCP Pastor Jimie Teves, government job order worker Jodito Montesino, Susan Medes, Jeppy Romano, Jasper Aguyong, Rogelio Sabanal, Eliseo Andres, and Rodrigo Medes, Gorgonio said.
They were accused off 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, on May 12, 2018, two days before a barangay election, he said.
“We sympathize with the families of those who died and were injured in the encounter but is it is also wrong to imprison those who were innocent of the charges. It does not result to justice but rather exacerbates injustice,” Gorgonio said.
His clients were red tagged and falsely accused, he said.
They were called the Himamaylan 7 because initially the seven males were arrested, and imprisoned since June 2019, Gorgonio said.
They are farmers and indigenous people from Barangay Buenavista, Himamaylan, he said.
The UCCP, in a statement, said the court cited lack of credible evidence and procedural irregularities during the investigation, in acquitting the accused.
It said the UCCP has been vocal throughout the trial, offering support to the Himamaylan 7 and denouncing what they described as a “miscarriage of justice.”
“Church leaders expressed relief over the acquittal, calling it a victory for truth and justice. The acquittal of Pastor Teves and company is an answered prayer of the whole church. It also serves as a testament to the power of community support,” the UCCP said.*