MANILA: Defence lawyers in 2009 Maguindanao massacre case yesterday sought to demolish the credibility of an investigator of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) who was presented as a witness by the prosecution for the 58th victim, Midland Review photojournalist Reynaldo Momay.
During re-cross examination of CHR investigator Ronie Rosero, at the hearing at the secured courtroom of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221 inside the Quezon City Jail annex at Camp Bagong Diwa, defence lawyers alleged that his report on the case of Momay was riddled with omissions and was biased in favour of the side of now Maguindanao Governor Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu.
Defence lawyers in particular zeroed in on the alleged omissions made by Rosero in his addendum to his after mission report which he submitted to then CHR chairman Leila de Lima.
In particular, defence lawyers grilled Rosero on why he did not mention in his addendum that the backhoe used in unearthing the bodies of the massacre victims was owned by the Mangudadatus, that video footages following the massacre were furnished to the CHR by the Mangudadatus and why details on how Momay’s alleged “partial left upper denture” was recovered at the massacre site in Sitio Masalay, Ampatuan town were left out in the addendum to the after mission report.
Prosecution lawyers have earlier presented to court the recovered partial left upper denture as proof of Momay’s presence in the massacre site. Aside from the denture, investigators have not found Momay’s remains or any other evidence to place Momay at the massacre site.
The recovered partial upper left denture was earlier identified as Momay’s by his daughter, Ma Reynafe Momay-Castillo.
The Philippine star
