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Family didn’t get justice for Evelio B. Javier’s murder, son says

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ABS-CBN News

MANILA—The son of slain Antique governor Evelio B. Javier on Friday said their family didn&#x27;t think they got justice for the politician&#x27;s murder.&quot;I do not think my family got justice at all. On one hand, the trial was manhandled and maneuvered by various political personalities,&quot; Gideon Javier told ANC&#x27;s &quot;Rundown.&quot;&quot;On the other hand, [Arturo] Pacificador was running around the country free for many years before being officially surrendered. I think it was 6 or 7 years that he was out there going everywhere, being seen by everyone.&quot;And then, like all these personalities came and interfered with the trial. And then, to make things worse, they went through changes of judges because of the length of the trial and the last judge to come in was from the same hometown as Pacificador.&quot;&quot;Pacificador is not from Antique,&quot; Gideon added. &quot;He is from Pototan in Iloilo. A year before his not guilty verdict, the judge was changed to someone also from Pototan, Iloilo.&quot;Evelio B. Javier&#x27;s name has re-emerged in headlines, following the postponement of an event planned by the camp of presidential candidate Ferdinand &quot;Bongbong&quot; Marcos Jr. in Antique province. Marcos&#x27; camp said that its scheduled February 24 rally was moved &quot;in the spirit of peace and unity&quot; and was supposed to be held at Binirayan Sports Complex in the capital of San Jose de Buenavista. Earlier reports indicated that the event was held off following protests by residents on social media. It was also reported that the rally was supposed to be held at the Evelio B. Javier Freedom Park, not Binirayan Sports Complex. <ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/23/22/marcos-camp-antique-rally-to-be-set-to-another-date">Marcos camp: Antique rally postponed, not cancelled</a></li></ul>The park was where gunmen, allegedly under orders from former assemblyman Pacificador, shot dead Javier on February 11, 1986. Pacificador was an ally of Ferdinand E. Marcos, being a member of the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan party. The Seattle Times reported that Pacificador received a million pesos from the Marcoses 5 days after Javier was killed. The Philippine Daily Inquirer <a href="https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19900508&amp;slug=1070625">reported </a>in 2015 that Pacificador died on January 11 that year. He passed away after evading arrest for over a decade. He was acquitted in the Javier case in 2004. Only his 8 co-accused were found guilty.Since 1987, the day of Javier&#x27;s death has been commemorated on Panay Island as Governor Evelio B. Javier Day, where residents take the time to remember his heroism. He is considered by some Panay Island residents as their own &quot;Ninoy Aquino,&quot; as his death was seen as one of the catalysts leading to the EDSA People Power Revolution on February 25, 1986. <ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/02/25/22/who-was-the-late-antique-governor-evelio-b-javier">Who was the late Antique governor Evelio B. Javier?</a></li></ul><div> Marcos return to Malacanang a threat to democracy, says Gideon</div>Gideon said he was shocked when he heard that the Marcos camp was planning a rally in the very place where his father had died.&quot;I was shocked. I was extremely shocked and angry. Because the stage is literally about 2 car lengths away from the rock my father was sitting on when Marcos gunmen started shooting at him.&quot;&quot;They didn’t shoot him like once, they actually hit him piece by piece and drove him down the street and really tortured him as they were killing him.&quot;&quot;So I mean, it was another for of torture to have the son of the man responsible and the son of the woman who actually paid for it with money from her bedroom,&quot; Gideon said.Asked if he would oppose the holding of a similar activity by the Marcos camp in the future, Gideon said, &quot;Everyone has a right to hold their political events. There’s nothing legally wrong with doing your campaigns anywhere. But it’s also a question of delicadeza and basic morality.&quot;&quot;I mean, if you kill somebody and then you hold a rally right on the spot, I don’t know what that says about you, your morals or you as a person.&quot;Gideon said the possibility of another Marcos leading the Philippines poses a threat to the country&#x27;s democracy.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/16/22/bongbong-marcos-keeps-lead-in-sws-january-presl-survey">Bongbong Marcos keeps lead in 2022 presidential race: SWS January poll</a></li></ul>&quot;It is once again a threat to pour democracy. Behind him are all the people who like to do things to destroy democracy so they can make money, be in power, act like kings--it’s not just about Marcos,&quot; he said.&quot;It’s about all the people that he brings who are expecting their golden age of whatever they did to destroy this country for their own benefit.&quot;<div>--ANC, 25 February 2022</div>

The son of slain Antique governor Evelio B. Javier on Friday said their family didn't think they got justice for the politician's murder.