Slain lawyer remembered as witty, go-to guy of underdogs

Media Savvy. Lawyer Noel Archival was a ‘media darling’ for being always open to questions on cases involving his clients. (CDN FILE PHOTO)

Known to handle difficult cases, usually representing the underdog in criminal lawsuits, lawyer Noel Archival has good humor and wit.

A trait that may have caught the ire of opposing camps in several cases, but has also endeared him to his colleagues in the legal profession.

Archival became a lawyer in 1991 and has since carved a name for himself in the legal profession by defending suspects in serious crimes like drugs, robberies and killings. He served as lawyer of cult leader Ruben Ecleo who was convicted of parricide in 2012 for the January killing of his wife Alona. Ecleo, a former Dinagat Island, Surigao del Norte congressman is now a fugitive with a P3-million bounty on his head.

His younger brother, barangay Talamban councilman Nelson Archival acknowledges the dangers his brother face as a lawyer. “It’s dangerous to be a lawyer,” said his younger brother who appealed to authorities to left no stone unturned in going after the perpetrators of the crime that killed his brother and two aides and seriously wounding another aide in a deserted stretch of highway in barangay Coro, Dalaguete in southern Cebu.

Nelson said he would not know if Archival got death threats.

“We talked a lot but not about the end of life. I don’t know if he received some threats. In case there was, he’s not the type of person who is afraid of that,” Councilman Archival said.

His eldest brother, Cebu City Councilor Nestor Archival remembers his brother who considered him as a father figure. He broke in tears confirming to media the death of his brother yesterday afternoon.

Jolly fellow

Archival’s sudden death yesterday came as a surprise for the legal community in Cebu who called on law enforcers to thoroughly investigate the lawyer’s death and arrest the perpetrators.

Lawyer Elaine Bathan, president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines’ Cebu City chapter, said she was saddened by the gruesome death of Archival whom she described as a “respected colleague in the legal profession and a jolly person in and out of court.”

“This is not the first time that this has happened to a fellow lawyer and IBP Cebu City Chapter strongly condemns such ruthless killing,” Bathan told Cebu Daily News.

“We call on the PNP to expedite the investigation and identify the perpetrator and the person behind this merciless doing. We urge the police to bring forth these persons so they may answer before the law so that justice may be served to him and his (companions) as well as to their families,” she added.

Lawyer Rory Jon Sepulveda, upon learning of Archival’s misfortune yesterday afternoon commented in a dyLA Facebook post: Rest in Peace ‘pre… This world will be a lot duller without you.”

Another lawyer says that the killing of Archival is senseless. “It’s very likely that the motive is related to his profession. Definitely well planned and executed slaughtering of Atty. Archival. Sayang because he is a very jolly brother lawyer,” said lawyer Julius Ceasar Entise.

Archival is the third of four siblings with Cebu City councilor Nestor as eldest.

His brother Nelson was trembling when he arrived at the crime scene at about 6 p.m. yesterday.

Earl Bonachita, former president of the IBP Cebu City chapter, was alarmed with the number of killings that involved lawyers and prosecutors in Cebu.

“Atty. Noel Archival was one of the most visible lawyers in the courtrooms since he was handling many cases. Accordingly, he had helped a lot in turning the wheels of justice. His death is another blow to our legal profession,” Bonachita said.

“It is truly alarming that many lawyers have already been killed. May the police be able to arrest his assailants and hold them accountable for this highly condemnable act,” he added.
Cebu City RTC Executive Judge Soliver Peras was also saddened by Archival’s death.

“I really felt something unusual this afternoon. I felt something bad has happened,” Peras told CDN in a brief interview while an official of the Supreme Court visited the Palace of Justice yesterday.

RTC Judge Meinrado Paredes said Archival was “jolly lawyer” who won’t likely get killed in a brutal way.

“It is really sad to hear that Atty. Noel archival will die a violent death. He was a friend to many. He’s very polite in court and he was not a violent person. But lawyers are sometimes misunderstood because of their zealousness in defending the rights and interests of their clients,” Paredes said.

Don’t shoot us

Prosecutor Ma. Theresa Casiño, who survived a shooting incident last year, was shocked when Archival was killed. (Casiño survived in a shooting rampage by a Canadian national inside the Palace of Justice in January last year.) “News like this is always tragic. Anbody in the legal profession don’t deserve this kind of death. We’re just doing our job. It is always our prayer that we are always protected anywhere we go,” told CDN.

She appealed to those who felt aggrieved by any legal action not to put the law into their hands. “For those who experience failure of the justice system, if you have doubts, please go to your lawyer or the prosecutors so we could explain the judicial process. We just follow what the law provides. I hope everyone will understand the nature of our work,” she said.

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