BY ADRIAN STEWART CO and PRINCE GOLEZ
MANILA – A Nueva Ecija court dismissed the murder charges and quashed the warrants of arrest against four former lawmakers under the militant Makabayan bloc.
In a resolution released late Monday, the Regional Trial Court in Palayan City dismissed the cases against Liza Maza (now National Anti-Poverty Commission secretary), Saturnino Ocampo, Teodoro Casiño, and Rafael Mariano for lack of evidence.
The charges stemmed from the deaths in 2003 and 2004 of Jimmy Peralta and Carlito Bayudang, members of the rival group Akbayan.
Warrants of arrest against the four were released on July 11 but they filed a motion against the years-old evidence that included testimonies from three people who claimed to have heard them plot the killings during a rebels’ meeting in Nueva Ecija in August 2000.
“The evidence on hand absolutely fails to support a finding of probable cause against accused-movants,” the court said in granting the motion to quash the warrants of arrest.
“It is hard to believe, as it would be contrary to human experience that one would detail security inside a meeting area, if the issues discussed therein are so sensitive,” read part of the court resolution.
Upon learning about the decision, Malacañang said on Tuesday Maza could now go back to work.
“Well, of course, that proves that the legal system is working. We’re happy that Secretary Liza Maza can now come back to work,” Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque Jr. told a news conference.
Asked if Maza still gets to keep her post at the NAPC, Roque said, “Hindi ko po alam. But now that she has no outstanding warrant of arrest, I supposed she can go back to work.”
Earlier Roque urged Maza, a former Gabriela representative, and her fellow accused to turn themselves in to the authorities.
Mariano was a former Agrarian reform secretary and Anakpawis representative, while Casiño and Ocampo were former Bayan Muna representatives.
“If they are innocent, they should surrender, recognize the jurisdiction of the court and prove their innocence,” Roque had said. “She (Maza) has to heed the warrant of arrest. Not even the President can interfere in the judicial process.”/PN
