Palace cautious on Ampatuan cases
-A A +AFriday, July 22, 2011
JUSTICE Secretary Leila de Lima said the government is just there to listen and evaluate evidences without commitment on the poll fraud issues in 2004 and 2007 elections.
De Lima was in Iloilo City Friday as keynote speaker of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Iloilo Chapter induction program.
De Lima said there is a standing instruction to comprehensively evaluate first the affidavits and evidences presented by former Commission on Elections (Comelec) officials Lintang Bedol and Virgilio Garcillano before any case be filed in the proper court.
The Justice secretary also pointed out that there was no deal discussed between the former Comelec officials and even former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao governor Zaldy Ampatuan on the reported massive cheating during the 2004 and 2007 elections.
De Lima also said the hearing process on the Ampatuan massacre in 2009 is ongoing and it is only a question of time before all witness and suspects are accounted for.
The Justice chief admitted the hearing could be delayed but with valid reasons.
She said, however, that failure is not an option of the government prosecutors, as it is unacceptable and shameful in the international community following up the massacre cases. (Lydia C. Pendon)
Local news
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