THE family of one of the accused in the murder of American serviceman George Anikow asked the United States government to “stay away” of the case after the latter sent permanent observers to the trial.

According to Dr. Jose Cesar Cabrera, the father of accused Osric Cabrera, the US government should distance from the trial since his child and his three other co-accused are not “terrorists.”

Cabrera, Juan Alfonzo Abastillas, Crispin de la Paz and Galicano Datu 3rd pleaded not guilty for the murder of Anikow during their arraignment on Wednesday before the sala of Judge Winlove Dumayas of Branch 59 of the Regional Trial Court in Makati City.

During the arraignment, the US Embassy sent representatives to observe the proceedings, one of which was US consul general Michael Schimmel.

Schimmel, together with his security agent, even seated just behind the four accused when they were brought before the court for the arraignment.

The consul general said that the US government has “high interest to the case” since Anikow is the husband of a US diplomat and an American citizen.

“We ensure the welfare of all American citizens in the Philippines, this is why we are constantly monitoring the case. We are here as observers,” he said.

Shimmel also expressed confidence that justice would be served for the victim.

“We are grateful to the Philippine government for the prompt arrest and prosecution of the accused and we are confident that justice would be served under Philippine law,” he added.

But the older Cabrera said that the US government should back out from the case since it already knew the circumstances behind the killing of Anikow.

“I told to these Americans, please back out on this because the children are not terrorists you know that,” said Cabrera adding that he did not hate the Americans.

He said that although the Americans are “lying low already and are not exerting pressure anymore,” the damage has already been done to the accused who were all labeled as “hardened criminals.”

Keeping tabs
“The US embassy carefully monitors the investigation and prosecution of all serious crimes against American citizens,” it said in a statement.

“George’s death is a terrible lost to his family and the community,” the embassy added.
“We are confident that justice will be served in this case,” the embassy added.

The suspects of the brutal killing were identified as Juan Alfonzo Abastilla, 24; Crispin dela Paz, 28; Osric Cabrera, 27; and Galicano Datu 3rd, 22, have been charged with murder.

The four were immediately arrested by the Makati police just moments after the stabbing incident.

Abastilla, dela Paz and Cabrera were profiled as businessmen living in Makati, while Datu is a De La Salle University student.

Reportedly, the four were aboard a silver Volvo with plate number TOJ 886 that was being checked by security guards at the gate of Bel-Air Village along Kalayaan Avenue when the 41-year-old victim interfered and told the suspects to present their identification cards to the guard.