A warrant of arrest was issued on April 5, 2024 by Presiding Judge Juris Dilinila-Callanta of Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 85 against Ryan Mark Baylon and Rosalino Degracia.
Baylon who is the president of JB Earthmovers Inc. based in San Francisco, Agusan del Sur and Saga’s business associate was the alleged mastermind in Afdal murder.
The Afdal family’s legal counsels, lawyers Xyleex Barroga and Rommel Fontanilla confirmed during a press conference here on Friday, April 19 on the issuance of a warrant against the suspects.
Barroga said the case is now heard in Quezon City after the Supreme Court granted the request of SAGA’s widow, Evelyn Afdal to transfer the venue from Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur due to two John Doe’s connections to the military at that time.
He said the main reason why the victim’s family requested for the transfer was because of the threats that were duly verified by proper government agencies.
The court has not allowed Baylon and Degracia to post bail for murder.
He said the warrant had been issued after a clarificatory hearing, which the accused failed to attend and was only represented by their lawyers. Saga’s wife, Evelyn accompanied by her lawyers was present during the hearing.
“The case is now in Quezon City RTC Branch 85. It was transferred there by virtue of an order from the supreme court. Arraignment has been set and a pre- trial was already conducted and trial will happen soon,” Fontanilla said.
Another suspect, Alemar Awado, had already surrendered to authorities in Surigao.
Police Major Ralph Jezen Perez, chief of police in Bunawan, Agusan del Sur said they are giving Baylon enough time to surrender to authorities.
He said they received the copy of the warrant of arrest on April 12 and they were given 10 days to implement the arrest order.
“For the PNP, continue po ang manhunt operation against Baylon to serve the warrant of arrest,” Perez said in the same press conference.
“So far may mga information kami natanggap for validation pa pero as of this time wala pa tayong info kung saan exact location niya. Rest assured na ginagawa po namin ang part ng PNP para mahuli ang mga suspects,” he said.
Meanwhile, the family of Afdal are elated by the recent turn of events in the search for justice for his death after the court has ordered the arrest of the remaining two suspects who are still at large.
“With the arrest warrant out, we deeply hope and pray that our law enforcement agencies act with dispatch to bring the suspects before the court of law, and face justice. We also hope and pray that the flow of justice will go on unimpeded,” the Afdal family said in a statement.
To recall, Afdal was ambushed in Santa Cruz, Rosario, Agusan del Sur on October 26, 2021 while he was driving alone toward an area where he had a mining prospect.
Afdal initially survived the shooting, however, he eventually succumbed to his gunshot wounds while undergoing medication in a hospital.
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