• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Marvin Miranda, alias Boss Marvin, one of the individuals who played a vital role in the planned assassination attack against Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo, was indicted by the Department of Justice prosecutors for nine counts of murder, 13 counts of frustrated murder, and four counts of attempted murder.
In a statement, the Department of Justice disclosed that Miranda was “one of the masterminds of the assassination of Governor Degamo,” and was the “missing piece that will tie up all loose ends of the case.”
“The case is 99% finished. Following the arrest of Marvin Miranda, I can tell you that it is only a matter of time before we can put this to bed,” Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla earlier said.
The DOJ further said in a statement it issued that the indictment of Miranda was based on the disclosures given by certain Antipolo, Javier, Rodriguez, Labrador, and Rivero in their respective extra-judicial confessions that “Miranda played an indispensable part in the planning of the assassination of the governor.”
“The state prosecutors found that Miranda conspired in the commission of the crimes and recommended his indictment, together with accused Antipolo, Isturis, Javier, Pattaguan, E. Gonyon, and JL. Gonyon, who were previously charged in court,” the agency said.
“In effect, the state prosecutors would be amending the information previously filed in court to include Miranda as one of the accused,” it added.
On March 27, Miranda was arrested by authorities in Brgy. Madlad in Barbaza, Antique where he was allegedly hiding.
Miranda underwent inquest proceedings at the DOJ on April 3.
The DOJ said the cases, handled by the state prosecutors, are to be tried jointly with previous cases filed by the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor of Negros Oriental against accused: Joric Labrador, Joven Javier, Banjie Rodriguez, and Osmundo Roias Rivero.*
