Friday, August 21, 2009

Cesar "Saro" Bañares Jr.- MindaNews


Para ito sa lahat ng mga tagahanga ng grupong ASIN. At sa mga gustong malaman kung ano talaga ang nangyari kay Cesar "Saro" Bañares Jr.Sa mga patuloy na sumusuporta sa grupong ASIN marami din akong natangap na email at nagtatanong dahil marami pa rin ang hindi nakakaalam kung paano pumanaw si Saro. Lalo na sa mga Pilipinong nasa ibang bansa.

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http://www.mindanews.com
Monday, 02 February 2009
Kin of slain Asin band leader hit release of convicted killer
Allen V. Estabillo / MindaNews
Sunday, 03 June 2007 13:20

KORONADAL CITY (MindaNews/02 June) – The family of slain folk music icon Cesar "Saro" Bañares Jr. today decried the reported release from the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP) in Muntinlupa City on Friday of one of the three suspects who were earlier convicted for the 1993 murder.

Elizabeth Bañares, a sister of the Asin band leader, said they cannot understand why suspect Gualberto Cataluña was able to gain freedom despite only spending 14 years in prison for the life imprisonment earlier meted on him and his two aides in connection with the celebrated murder case.

"This is unfair. I thought we already gained justice when his killers were finally sentenced to three life terms but now it doesn't mean anything to us. Where's justice now?" she said in an interview over radio station Bombo Radyo here this morning.

Cataluña, who had a promising law career here before the March 1993 killing, confirmed in a telephone interview with the same radio station this morning that he was released from the national penitentiary around noon Friday allegedly on orders from the Court of
Appeals (CA).

He claimed his release came after the CA ruled in his favor on an earlier appeal to downgrade the case from murder to homicide.

Cataluña, who is now back in his hometown in Iloilo, said the court also considered the 14 years he spent at the provincial jail here and the NBP as enough sentence for the homicide case.

But Bañares, who expressed surprise over the supposed CA ruling, said they were not aware about the appeal earlier filed by the suspects and that she could not recall any instance when they were summoned to a hearing at the CA over the case.

"I don't know anything (about that appeal). We don't have any information about it until we received the report that he was released from prison," she said.

Bañares said she will confer with their lawyers soon to check on the reported CA decision and look into other legal remedies.

Cataluña and brothers Joelito and Joel Castracion were found "guilty beyond reasonable doubt" and were each meted with life imprisonment by Regional Court Branch 24 Judge Jose Majaducon on May 26, 2000 for "conspiring in the killing" of Bañares inside the Vision KTV bar here on March 18, 1993.

According to court records, Cataluña and the Castracion brothers "mauled, boxed and kicked" Bañares over a certain misunderstanding.

Cataluña, then 33 years-old, allegedly started the attack by throwing a beer bottle that hit Bañares on the forehead. While the fight was going on, Cataluña moved back and reportedly passed a handgun, which turned out to be unlicensed, to Joelito Castracion who approached and shot Bañares.

The three accused immediately fled after the incident. Several days later, they separately surrendered to authorities and were subsequently charged with murder.

Cataluña, who had maintained his innocence during the seven-year trial of the case, described the appellate court's decision as a big relief for him and his family.

But Cataluña, now 47, said he has held no grudge against Bañares' family for what happened to him during the last 14 years, which he earlier described as the best years of his life.

Cataluña, who reportedly became a lay preacher while in prison, said he initially plans to meet with Bañares' family in the coming days to reconcile with them and settle the civil damages ordered by the court as part of his sentence.

"I will make the first step (to reconcile with the Bañares' family). I consider them as old friends and I even previously acted as their consultant for cases involving their properties. It was very unfortunate that it happened and I consider it as one of the most unwanted moments of my life," he added.

Elizabeth admitted that their family had already forgiven Cataluña many years ago but stressed that it does not mean that the latter was already absolved of the crime.

"We had erased any feeling of hate against him in our hearts because that's what we should do as Christians but he did a crime and there's a punishment for that," she said.

She pointed out that Cataluña also sent a number of similar feelers in the past while he was still at the provincial jail here but that none of them materialized.
Bañares, considered one of the best songwriters in the Philippine music scene, gained prominence as the lead vocalist and composer of folk-rock band Asin in the 80's. He composed most of the group's hit songs, among them "Ang Bayan Kong Sinilangan," "Masdan Ang Kapaligiran," "Itanong Mo Sa Mga Bata," and "Sayang Ka."

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11 comments:

Unknown said...

See how stupid violence is? Long Live Saro... Mabuhay ka at ang Bandang Asin...

Unknown said...

See how stupid violence is? Long Live Saro and Asin... Mabuhay Ka at salamat sa mga awit na iniwan mo sa amin...

Anonymous said...

Guelberto catuluna is now the lawyer of a man who shot with 22 cal. magnum revolver ryt in the face of my friend Frank Gideon Mosquera. Cataluna is the lawyer of Rufino dave armada who shot my Friend. As he said Before he is the best Criminal lawyer because he had been a criminal.

former Convicted murderer is now defending Fellow criminal

Anonymous said...

CATALUNA DID'NT JUST TOOK A LIFE, HE TOOK THE HEART OF PILIPINO MUSIC..BROKE THE HEART OF A MILLION FANS...HINDI KA PA NGA NUN ABOGADO, GANUN NA GINAWA MO... SEE THE EFFECT OF THE ADRENALIN OF VIOLENCE..VANITY + ALCOHOL IS A WORST COMBI..ARROGANCE WILL PUT YOU 6 FT UNDER..FANS WILL ALWAYS PRAISE SARO BANARES,UP TO MY GREAT GREAT GRANDCHILDREN, BUT WITH IT COMES "HATRED AND SHAME" ON THE BLOODLINES OF CATALUNA, REGARDLESS OF WHICH THEIR ROOTS ARE,THE NEXT GEN IN LINE WOULD ALWAYS SEE THE "CATALUNA AS THE ICON MURDERER"...I STUPID MOVE, AND YOU WILL REGRET IT, FOR ETERNITY...

Anonymous said...

dapat todasin na tong cataluna na murderer ni saro..yung buhay niya kulang pambayad sa mga komposisyon na nagawa ni saro at sa mga darating pa sana na mga komposisyon at buong pilipino na humanga sa musika ni saro at nang ASIN..walang kwentang katarungan! pweee!

Anonymous said...

i agree with the comments posted here.. as i was listening to ASIN songs nakakahinayang talaga. Itong murderer na to dapat mamatay ka sa mas malalalang sakit! yung maghihirap ka muna dahil sinira mo ang isang INSTITUSYON! wala kang karapatang tawaging tao!!!

Anonymous said...

agree ako lahat sa sentiments nyo..malaking kawalan yan sa MUSIC industry at legacy ng FILIPINO arts. what a great WASTE from a NONSENSE killing! pray for JUSTICE!!!!!!ahhhh
langya at practicing lawyer pa ang HAYOP na CATALUNA na yan?

cornets said...

Maraming salamat mga kabayan. Thanks everyone for taking the time writing here in my blog,for expressing your thoughts. Nakapang-hinayang talaga ang nangyari kay Saro. I qoute this one from somewhere I read on line."Justice is never served by man. True justice is served when karma takes effect.
`

Anonymous said...

i am too young when Mr. Saro was killed, but until now ASIN songs remain the marks in our society especially mindanaons. It is nice to know also that his only Son is now singing as invited guest of Lolita...hope his son will continue the interupted career of his father. If Mr. Saro is alive, he will be proud to his son. Just cant believe that a boy having normal schooling life in Midsayap before is now a professional and a good singer.

boy gitara said...

marami talagang demonyong nagkatawang tao tulad ni Cataluna.. Dapat sa kanya ay barilin din dahil ang inutang nya ay buhay kaya buhay din ang kabayaran.. LONG LIVE ASIN!

Anonymous said...

Nakaka bwesit nga wlang hustisya basta pagdating sa pera.. Sana cla nlang mag kakapatid ang nag patayan..