SC: TRIAL OF MAUTE CASES STAYS IN ORO
The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday said the Cagayan De Oro Regional Trial Court (RTC) will still handle the cases against arrested members and supporters of the Maute terror group.
Sought for a comment, SC Spokersperson Theodore Te said the high court is yet to act on the request of Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II to reconsider its earlier decision, citing security risks that may arise if the trial is held in Cagayan de Oro as well as the lack of facilities.
”No action on the request of the SoJ in meantime previous resolution stands,” Te said in a text message to reporters.
Last June 6, the SC has designated the Cagayan De Oro Regional Trial Court (RTC) to handle cases filed against the Maute members and supporters while the military’s Camp Evangelista, which is in the same city, was designated as the detention of the arrested suspects.
The Court also assigned the military camp in the same city to serve as the detention of the arrested suspects.
Aguirre wrote to Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno to request that the Regional Trial Court of Taguig City be designated as the court to hear and decide all cases and incidents arising from the Marawi crisis.
Aguirre also reiterated his request that the Special Intensive Care Area (SICA) in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City be designated as the detention facility for the apprehended members of the Maute group while their cases are being heard to ensure the greater security of the Maute detainees.
The DOJ chief had a meeting with Sereno on Monday where they talked about the probability of transferring the trial instead to Camp Bagong Diwa, at the SICA where trials are being conducted against arrested members of the Abu Sayyaf Group.
Aguirre said there was already a precedent for holding a trial inside a jail, citing the trial of the 2009 Maguindanao massacre case at Camp Bagong Diwa.
“Maganda naman ang napag-usapan namin so in all probability, instead of moving the trial at the Taguig RTC, dun na mismo sa loob ng jail ang trial para mas secure kaya dun na mismo sa loob ng SICA,” Aguirre told reporters.