Missing students' moms face their top suspect

"It wasn't me"

Enriquez, assisted by counsel from the Public Attorney's Office, begged the complainants to drop him from the list of respondents.

Standing in the aisle and wearing what appeared to be an old shirt, Enriquez told the mothers in Filipino in a tone of desperation: "Somebody just used my name. That person involved in your daughters' disappearance has a long scar on his thigh. I don't have that. What happened to your families pained me. But this hurts me more because I really don't have anything to do with this."

One of the mothers' lawyers, Jobert Pahilga, told reporters that he and his co-counsel were inclined to believe Enriquez, which was why they wanted him to submit a counteraffidavit.

Pahilga said one of their witnesses, Alberto Ramirez, would be able to say whether it was Enriquez or somebody else who were with those who abducted Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño five years ago in Hagonoy, Bulacan province.

Ramirez will attend the July 19 hearing, Pahilga said.