The wife and daughters of the late Col. Samuel “Saga” Afdal, together with their legal counsels, welcome the recent decision of Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 85 to deny the bail petition of the three murder suspects in the Agusan del Sur mining executive’s killing.
In a resolution dated January 10, 2025, a copy of which Afdal’s lawyers presented to journalists on Friday, Judge Juris Dilinila-Callanta of Quezon City Regional Regional Trial Court Branch 85, denied the petition to post bail filed by suspects Ryan Mark Baylon, Rosalino Degracia and Alemar Awado.
In a statement, the Afdal family stated that Judge Juris Dilinila-Callanta denied the suspects’ bail request, citing the strength of the prosecution’s case.
“In rejecting their bail petition, Judge Juris Dilinila-Callanta gave credence to the weight of evidence presented so far by the prosecution,” the family stated.
Dilinila-Callanta indicated that the brutal crime was likely made possible by the claimed money incentive provided by Ryan Mark Baylon, the accused mastermind.
At this point in the case, the court has determined that there is substantial proof of guilt against Baylon, Rosalino Degracia, and Alemar Awado, the three people accused of murdering “Saga.”
“Hence, it is only fitting for the three accused, especially the mastermind, who has the propensity to evade justice, to be locked in detention while the trial is underway, to ensure the speedy resolution of the case,” the statement said.
Lawyer Xilexferen Barroga, one of the legal counsels of the Afdal family, said following the denial of bail, it would now be the term of the defense to present evidence and their option is to file a Motion for Reconsideration.
“With the denial of the bail petition, all the three accused will remain in detention, and considering we have manifested that we are resting our case with the adoption of the documentary evidence presented now it will be the term of the defense to send evidence, meaning its now their burden to prove or for them to contradict the findings of the court that there is a strong evidence of guilt against them,” Barroga said in a press conference held at The Royal Mandaya Hotel on Friday.
Afdal, owner of Rosario Manobo Mining Corp. based in Rosario, Agusan del Sur, was ambushed while driving alone to a mining site in Barangay Santa Cruz, Rosario, Agusan del Sur on Oct. 26, 2021.
A fourth suspect, former New People’s Army (NPA) rebel Jeffrey Mamerto, had confessed he was the contracted hitman of Afdal.
Mamerto also pointed Baylon as the killing’s alleged mastermind, offering Degracia and Awado P200,000 for the hit job, and telling him a good location where Afdal should be ambushed on Oct. 26, 2021.
Mamerto further confessed to having been paid P50,000 by Degracia and Awado, as well as his fellow NPA rebels.
From Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur, the case has now been heard in Quezon City since April last year following a Supreme Court order for its transfer, upon the prosecution’s request.
Baylon and Degracia are currently detained at the Quezon City jail, and Awado at a jail in Bislig City while being tried for another murder case.
Mamerto is serving a 10-year sentence at the Davao Penal Colony after his conviction for the lesser offense of homicide in a plea bargaining with the prosecution.
