35 years later: Court convicts 3 RAM members in Rolando Olalia murder
THE Antipolo City regional trial court has found three members of the Reform the Armed Forces Movement (RAM) guilty for the murders of former Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) leader Rolando “Ka Lando” Olalia and unionist Leonor Alay-ay more than 3 decades ago.
Olalia and Alay-ay were abducted, tortured, and killed in November 1986.
In a decision, Branch 97 convicted Fernando Casanova, Dennis Jabatan, and Desiderio Perez.
They were each slapped with penalty of up to 40 years of imprisonment (reclusion perpetua).
“Our victory today has only stiffened our resolve to never abandon our search for the remaining nine men involved in our father’s brutal killing,” Atty. Rolando Rico Olalia, son of Ka Lando said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) said that while it welcomes the ruling, they still have “tinge of frustration” because only three accused were convicted.
“On the one hand, others who are allegedly involved – based on the disturbing testimonial evidence of the prosecution – remain off the hook and are in our midst. Nine of those formally charged are still at large despite 35 years on the run,” NUPL president Edre Olalia said.
“For the families of the victims, the judicial proceedings from one court to another were too protracted, the legal tactics were over-utilized, and twists and turns at different junctures, levels and for a were exasperating,” Olalia added.
