THE ALLEGED mastermind of the murder of retired colonel and mining executive Samuel “Saga” Afdal in 2021 is now detained in Quezon City jail.
Afdal’s lawyer, Atty. Xilexferen Barroga, said Ryan Mark Baylon had been arraigned on July 12 and pleaded not guilty to the murder charge against him.
“He has been attending the pre-trial inside the Quezon City Jail, through Zoom,” Barroga said during a press conference on Wednesday, July 31.
Baylon filed a petition to post bail which will be scrutinized by the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 85 based on the evidence provided by the prosecution.
During the pre-trial, the prosecution presented Major Ralph Jezen Perez and gunman Jeffrey Mamerto before the court as witnesses.
The court hearing for the petition is scheduled for September this year. This time, the accused will cross-examine the witnesses.
Jeffrey Mamerto is currently serving a sentence of 10 years at the provincial jail of Agusan, after being convicted of the crime last year on Nov. 15.
Baylon was nabbed on Monday, July 1 in Barangay Talahiron, Kibawe, Bukidnon by the Agusan police led by Major Perez. Baylon is the last of the four suspects in the ambush of Afdal to have been arrested.
Perez said Baylon was nabbed through surveillance of an intelligence unit in the area. Baylon however did not resist arrest and willfully come along.
A week after being held in detention at Bunawan police station, Baylon was presented before Judge Dilinila-Callanta of QC RTC who ordered him committed to Quezon City jail.
On the other hand, Rosalino “Okie” Degracia will be delivered to QC Jail one of these days after his motion for reconsideration to remain detained in the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Davao was rejected by the court. Degracia surrendered to the CIDG in April.
Judge Juris Dilinila-Callanta of Quezon City RTC Branch 85, signed the arrest warrant for murder on April 5 against Baylon and Degracia. No bail was recommended for both.
Major Perez said they apprehended Baylon through an alias warrant signed by Judge Dilinila-Callanta on May 8.
He added they were not able to serve the first arrest warrant provided as Baylon is nowhere to be found at his address.
According to Evelyn Afdal, Saga’s wife, the development is a sigh of relief to their search for justice, and thanked the 75th Infantry Battalion, the Death Investigation Division of the National Bureau of Investigation, the Rosario, Agusan del Sur municipal police station, and the Agusan del Sur provincial prosecutor’s office for the steady grind.
“This development significantly boosts our morale and that of his friends and associates who cared for him deeply, hence, we are ever emboldened to continue the fight for justice, if only to honor the name and legacy of SAGA,” Che Afdal, Saga’s daughter said.
To recall, Afdal was ambushed on Oct. 26, 2021, while driving to the mining site. He was wounded but was able to drive away to seek help in the compound of Rosario Manobo Mining Corporation (RMMC). He was rushed to the nearest hospital but succumbed to his injuries on Nov. 15, 2021.
RMMC was the company established by Afdal after selling his interests in Philsaga Mining Corporation, which according to Evelyn, Afdal’s widow, Baylon tried to take overtake.
