De las Alas did not plan to work on day he was killed - daughter

MANILA, Philippines - Rafael delas Alas had not intended to go to the office of former Batangas Gov. Jose Antonio Leviste on the day he was shot dead. This, De las Alas's daughter said as the prosecution presented its witnesses during the resumption of the hearing on Leviste's murder case at the Makati City Regional Trial Court Branch 150. Daughter Dinna Sanchez told GMA News reporter Carlo Lorenzo that her father could not have gone to Leviste's office in his own volition because he had earlier considered skipping work to spend time with his grandchildren. "Friday ay isa sa mga araw na excited siya kasi iyon yung bonding time niya sa mga anak ko eh," Sanchez said. But De las Alas, Leviste's aide of 42 years, was forced to head to the former governor's office on the day of the incident on January 12, 2007 after Leviste reportedly summoned him to report for work, according to Sanchez. To further strengthen the prosecution's claim that Rafael had no intention of going to work that day, a neighbor of the victim was asked to go to the witness stand and say that Rafael even dropped by her eatery late in the morning. Melissa Cielo said a "good-natured and calm" De las Alas came by her carinderia past 10 a.m. of January 12 and bought food from her. Leviste's camp had earlier said that De las Alas stormed the former governor's office as early as 9:30 a.m., allegedly demanding that his P50,000 salary be raised further due to financial problems. Leviste shot an allegedly enraged De las Alas, who had already began shouting and even showed his gun to the former Batangas governor. Leviste has maintained he shot his longtime aide in self-defense even as homicide charges, later tobe upgraded to murder, were lodged against him. "Ang pinakaimportante dito ay napasubalian ng aming saksi na 10 a.m. nandito pa siya sa bahay niya sa Sampaloc at namimili, kumakain, bibili ng pagkain," senior state prosecutor Emmanuel Velasco said. For his part, Leviste said he was undettered with the prosecution's presentation of its two witnesses, saying their testimonies are "immaterial" and "irrelevant" "All the rebuttal witnesses have confirmed most of what I testified on indirect and at worst, they are immaterial and irrelevant to the case," Leviste said. - Mark Merueñas, GMANews.TV