Army officer suspect in Jonas Burgos abduction case gets acquitted

The Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 216 on Thursday acquitted the only person charged of arbitrary detention in the kidnapping of activist Jonas Burgos 10 years ago.

Major Harry Baliaga Jr. was declared not guilty of charges of arbitrary detention for the disappearance of Burgos in a restaurant at the Ever Gotesco Mall in Quezon City on April 28, 2007.

According to a report by radio dzBB's Allan Gatus, the decision of Judge Alfonso Ruiz II to acquit Baliaga was a result of the prosecution's failure to prove beyond reasonable doubt Baliaga's supposed involvement in Burgos' disappearance.

FLASH: Major Harry Baliaga, Jr., inabsuwelto sa kasong arbitrary detention kay Jonas Burgos noong 2007. | via @allangatus pic.twitter.com/mKAAvY0fbX

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) October 12, 2017

The prosecution also reportedly failed to present circumstantial evidence that would pin down Baliaga as guilty of the charge against him.

The witnesses also reportedly failed to identify Baliaga as present at the place where Burgos was kidnapped.

Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said it respects the decision of the court acquitting Baliaga.

"We submit to the wise discretion of the court in ascertaining the guilt or innocence of the accused charged before it in a deliberate and impartial  proceedings," AFP public affairs office chief Colonel Edgard Arevalo said in a press statement.

Arevalo said they are hopeful that the court decision will finally put an end on the matter.

"We hope that this verdict of the court will put to rest the issues that surround case that hounded the parties since 2007," he said.

"We can make our assertions. But there is no proof better than the vindication of the accused in an impartial  trial held in open court," he added when asked if such development proved that the military was never involved in the Burgos disappearance.

Arevalo said Baliaga was released from detention following his acquittal. The Army officer was held at the Headquarters  and Headquarters Service Group of the Philippine Army while his case was being heard.

In 2013, the Department of Justice (DOJ) cleared other high-ranking military and police officials of involvement in the Burgos disappearance.

The DOJ dropped charges of arbitrary detention, murder and obstruction of justice against the following officials:

• Armed Forces chief General Eduardo Año
• Colonel Melquiades Feliciano
• Ex-Lieutenant  General Romeo Tolentino
• Former national police chief Director General Avelino Razon Jr.
• Ex-AFP chief General Hermogenes Esperon
• Ex-AFP chief General Alexander Yano

— Nicole-Anne C. Lagrimas and Amita Legaspi/RSJ, GMA News