■ 2ND SUSPECT IN RUPINTA KILLING MAINTAINS HIS INNOCENCE
Jordan Gera will face the cases of murder and frustrated murder filed against him in relation to the fatal ambush of Ermita, Cebu City Barangay Captain Felicisimo “Imok” Rupinta last Nov. 23. But the 39-year-old suspect continues to insist that he is innocent. Contrary to the witnesses’ claims, Gera said, he was at home in Consolacion on the night Rupinta was attacked with his live-in partner Jocelyn Mendoza. He also denied that he was playing bingo with his best friend Jimmy Largo in front of the Ermita Barangay Hall that day. He said that happened on Friday. Gera said he had no reason to kill Rupinta because the latter was fair to vendors like him.
Jordan Gera, the co- accused in the death of Ermita, Cebu City Barangay Captain Felicisimo “Imok” Rupinta, maintained his innocence.
Gera, 39, said that on the night of the fatal ambush, he was at home in Sitio Manga, Jugan, Consolacion getting a massage from his daughter.
“Jocelyn Mendoza should clarify who the gunman was. Because this doesn’t only affect me, it also affected my family,” he said, his voice breaking.
He was also at home at 2 p. m. last Thursday, he said, contrary to witnesses’ claims that he and his best friend Jimmy Largo were in front of the Ermita Barangay Hall playing bingo until 6 p. m.
“That was on Friday. That’s not true. Why would they include me in this crime when I was with my family when this happened?” he said.
Gera said that he had no reason to kill the barangay captain as the latter was fair to the vendors like him.
“Nganong manghilabot man ko niya nga maayo man siya ( Why would I kill him when he was a good person)?” Gera said.
He admitted that he was one of the vendors affected by Rupinta’s clearing operation and relocation.
“Sa tinuod nga pagkaestorya, wala pako nakasala og usa ka taw, kanang pagpatay og taw ( To tell you the truth, I have never killed anyone),” he said.
Gera served jail time in the then Bagong Buhay Rehabilitation Center for homicide in 2004. He was released the following year as the case didn’t prosper, he said.
Gera said that his conscience is clean, adding that his daughter has text messages proving that he was home when Rupinta was killed.
“She was texting with her boyfriend while she was massaging me and her mother that time,” he said.
Gera also said that no one hired him to kill Rupinta. “I’m not known as a gunman,” he said.
Police caught Gera in Consolacion at 1 p. m. last Friday. They also recovered a motorcycle that might have been used as a getaway vehicle.
Gera was positively identified by Mendoza, Rupinta’s live- in partner who was with the barangay captain during the attack.
As for the cases of murder and frustrated murder filed against him by the Regional Special Operations Group 7, Gera said that he will face these in court.