Weakest defense
Police have dismissed the alibi of Jordan Gera, the second suspect in the death of former Ermita barangay captain Felicisimo “Imok” Rupinta, that he was not in the area during the killing.
Senior Supt. Jonathan Cabal, chief of the Regional Intelligence Division, said Gera's alibi pales in comparison to accounts of witnesses.
"Alibi na lang niya yun. Defense niya yun, actually. Yung mga alibi is the weakest defense; hindi niya pwedeng matalo ang positive identification. Yun ang nasa batas natin," Cabal said.
Operatives of the Regional Special Operations Group (RSOG) arrested Gera at his residence in Sitio Mangga, Barangay Jugan, Consolacion last Friday afternoon.
Rupinta’s common-law wife, Jocelyn Mendoza, who was with the victim in the car during the ambush, identified Gera and the other suspect, Jimmy Largo, positively.
"An eye witness account, especially if siya yung victim, siya yung nasa crime scene. Hindi naman kami ang nasa crime scene, eh… ang mismong asawa naman ni Imok," Cabal said.
Gera has denied the allegations and said he was not in the area when Rupinta and Mendoza were ambushed in Liloan town evening on November 23. Rupinta succumbed to two gunshot wounds to the head.
Last Thursday, three new witnesses surfaced and told the police they saw Largo together with a certain Jordan playing 'bingo' near the barangay hall in Ermita.
Police believe the two purposely waited for Rupinta to come out of the barangay hall and eventually tailed him heading to Liloan.
Footage from a closedcircuit television (CCTV) camera at a convenience store about 300-500 meters away from the crime scene in Liloan showed Largo was at the area at the night of the ambush.
Gera is not seen in the footage.
"Ang sa tinood lang wala koy kalabutan aning panghitabua, nagkuyog mi sa akong pamilya. Limpyo ang akong konsiyensiya. Nganung manghilabot man ko niya nga maayo man siya. Maayo man ang iyang pamalakad sa mga vendors," Gera said yesterday.
He sold vegetables along Manalili Street in Cebu City but on the day Rupinta was killed, he did not go to his stall. He said he was tired and decided to stay home with his family.
Gera pleaded to Mendoza to clear his name because his family is already affected by the situation.
"Nganong giapil ko niya? Hangyo nako niya nga i-clarify lang unta daan og kinsa na nga tawo kay sa akua, sakit pud sa akua nga inosente kaayo ko nga iya kong giapil ani nga kaso," an emotional Gera said.
He said his daughter can prove through text messages sent to her boyfriend that he was really at home during the incident.
Police said several witnesses saw Gera playing bingo near the barangay hall in Ermita afternoon on November 23 right before the ambush.
Allegedly, per account of witnesses, Largo and Gera immediately left the bingo house on board their motorcycles right after seeing Rupinta coming out of the barangay hall around 6 p.m.
Gera said that while it is true he played bingo with Largo, this reportedly happened the following day, Friday, the day after Rupinta was killed.
Largo was arrested at 8 p.m. that day at the Carbon market.
Police have filed murder and attempted murder charges against the two suspects.