Saturday, February 12, 2005  
                 
     
Running priest takes.... on cause of convicts..... in Chiong case 
by Jhunnex Napallacan
      PDI Visayas Bureau

      CEBU CITY---Saying he was convinced about the innocence of death convict Francisco Juan "Paco" Larrañaga and the six other convicted in the Chiong sister rape-murder case, "running priest" Fr. Robert Reyes ran through the major thoroughfares of this city yesterday to call attention to their case.

      Reyes said he also ran for the Chiong family so that "real justice" for their daughters would be finally served.

      After his run, Reyes told reporters here that he believed that there should be a re-trial of the case. He said he was also asking for the "interference of the spirit" of the late Judge Martin Ocampo to revisit the conscience of the justices of the Supreme Court so that it would reverse the earlier decision imposing the death penalty on Larrañaga and six co-accused, collectively known as the Chiong Seven.

No fun run
      Reyes, together with some 30 people including the parents, relatives, and friends of the convicts, wore green T-shirts marked "Justice for Paco" at the front and "Paco is innocent" at the back when they ran for two hours starting at 8:00 a.m. from Ayala Business Center toward the streets of Gorordo Avenue, General Maxilum Avenue, Fuente Osmeña going to the Palace of Justice.                

      The group stopped at the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Central Visayas headquarter where seven friends of Larrañaga handed their letter asking the police agency to conduct a re-investigation of the Chiong sisters' abduction, rape and murder.

      The group also stopped at the Palace of Justice to give a manifesto asking the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) to "answer the call of the innocent and oppressed in finding the truth and justice."

 Cause
      After the run, the group, including Fr. Reyes and the seven friends of Larrañaga---Raymund Alvin Garcia, Sebastian Eriberto Seno, Paolo Manguerra, Francisco Carlos Jarque Jr., Ma. Christina del Gallego Borromeo, Jheanessa Ann Fonacier and Maharlika Esperanza Shulze---held a press conference at a restaurant in Ayala Business Center.

      Reyes said it was not the first time that he ran to save innocent people from the death penalty, including the dozen runs he did for the Abadilla Five.