DAVAO CITY – A petition for bail filed by the counsels of three accused, including the mastermind, in the killing of former Philsaga Mining Corp. president retired Col. Samuel Afdal four years ago in Surigao del Sur province was denied by the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 85.

THE Afdal family, with their legal counsels, give an update on the murder case of patriarch former Philsaga Mining Corp. president retired Col. Samuel Afdal during a press conference in Davao City on Friday afternoon, Feb. 28. (Ivy Tejano)

In a 36-page resolution dated Jan. 10, 2025, Judge Juris Dilinila-Callanta of the Quezon City RTC Branch 85 rejected the petition of murder suspects Ryan Mark Baylon, president of the JB Earthmovers Inc. based in Agusan del Sur province, and his accomplices Rosalino Degracia and Alemar Awado.

Afdal family lawyers Romel Fontanilla and Xilexferen Barroga confirmed this in a press conference on Friday, Feb. 28, in a hotel here. The copy of the ruling was shared with journalists, saying they had finished presenting their evidence and that it was now the defense's turn to show theirs.

“The defendants’ option is to file a motion for reconsideration. I do not know what petition they would file. However, with the ruling, all accused will remain in jail. It is now their burden to prove, rather than oppose the court, that there is strong evidence of guilt against them,” Fontanilla said.

Callanta noted that the evidence presented by the prosecution so far to oppose the bail petition showed that the guilt of the accused – Baylon, Degracia, and Awado – is strong. She said the witness accused’s clear and consistent confession strongly proves the guilt of the three other accused.

The fourth suspect, former New People’s Army (NPA) rebel Jeffrey Mamerto, confessed to killing Afdal, owner of Rosario Manobo Mining Corp. based in Rosario town in Agusan del Sur. He also admitted to having been paid P50,000 by Degracia and Awado, also former communist rebels.

Mamerto pointed to 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.

Callanta said the circumstances testified to by five prosecution witnesses, including Mamerto, “would establish that the accused – Baylon, Degracia, and Awado – are probably guilty of the offense charged.” She emphasized that this is the reason for the court’s denial of bail.

The family of Afdal, known as SAGA, welcomed the decision of the court to keep the three suspects in jail.  From Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur, the case has been heard in Quezon City since April 2024 following a Supreme Court order for its transfer upon the prosecution’s request.

“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 Afdal family said.

Baylon and Degracia are detained at the Quezon City Jail, Awado in a prison in Bislig City while being tried for another murder case, and Mamerto is serving a 10-year sentence at Davao Penal Colony after his conviction for the lesser offense of homicide in a plea bargaining with the prosecution.