|
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
New Bilibid eyed for Trillanes, others in standoff
MANILA -- Government prosecutors would be moving for the transfer of the group involved in last Thursday's standoff at the Manila Peninsula Hotel, led by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and former Scout Ranger commander Danilo Lim, from Camp Crame to the New Bilibid Prisons in Muntinlupa.
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary for Public Safety Marius Corpus said government prosecutors will file a motion for leave of court before the proper courts seeking to remand the custody of Trillanes, Lim, and 34 other military and civilian co-accused to the Bureau of Corrections (BOC).
Post your comments here on the Makati siege
"We have studied the matter carefully and weighed the factors regarding the safety and security of the accused, and decided that the best way to secure them while they are awaiting the trial of their rebellion case is to house them in Muntinlupa," Corpus said.
Subpoena duces tecum
Corpus also explained that the letter sent to the ABS-CBN news network by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) asking the submission of its raw video footage leading to and during the Manila Peninsula siege was merely a subpoena duces tecum to produce potential evidence material to the ongoing investigation on the botched rebellion attempt last November 29.
Moreover, the DILG official said Section 6 of Republic Act (RA) 5750 provides that the CIDG has subpoena powers "for the appearance at government expenses of any person for investigation or production of documents and other matters."
He also noted that Memorandum Circular (MC) 11-09-2004 issued by the National Telecommunications Commission (Transco) three years ago directs all broadcast stations to tape their respective programs specified in the order, "preserve them for a period of 10 days, unless a longer period is required, and make them available to the commission" upon the Transco's request or demand.
Covered by the circular are talk shows and live phone-in calls; live interviews, public affairs programs and public service programs; news analysis, editorials, commentaries and documentaries; and magazine types and counseling programs.
"We would like to make it clear that ABS-CBN is not under investigation here," Corpus said. "The CIDG summons sent to them was a pro-forma subpoena duces tecum asking for their help by submitting possible evidence in the ongoing investigation on the failed rebellion led by Trillanes that could help the government prosecute them."
High-risk prisoners
Corpus said government prosecutors will ask the court to transfer Trillanes and his co-accused to Muntinlupa after ruling out the possibility of detaining them at the Makati City Jail or any other city jail in the metropolis that cannot accommodate such a huge number of high-risk prisoners as those involved in the Manila Peninsula siege.
He said another possible option is detaining them at Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, where Trillanes and his group could be housed along with other high-risk prisoners, such as the suspected Abu Sayyaf rebels detained in the facility.
"Because rebellion is not a violation of the Articles of War but of the Revised Penal Code, we have to house them in a civilian facility, so this also rules out the possible transfer of custody of Trillanes and his co-accused soldiers to the military," Corpus said.
Corpus noted that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has also expressed its willingness to transfer custody of the military personnel involved in the siege to civilian authorities. (VR/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Pangasinan. (December 5, 2007 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
