Monday, September 08, 2008
Trial starts for Protestant pastor (1:02 p.m.)
MANILA -- The Court of Appeals (CA) will start this week the hearing of the case of jailed Protestant Pastor Berlin Guerrero who was allegedly abducted and tortured in May 2007 by police authorities, then later charged with murder before the Bacoor, Cavite Regional Trial Court (RTC).
In a resolution penned by Associate Justice Martin Villarama Jr., the CA Third Division has set on September 11 the petition for certiorari, prohibition and mandamus filed by Guerrero against the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
The appellate court, likewise, directed the jail warden of the Trece Martires, Cavite provincial jail to bring Guerrero before it to testify on the circumstances of his alleged abduction or arrest.
“The Court finds it necessary to conduct a hearing for the proper resolution of the factual and legal issues involved,” the CA said.
Concurring with the ruling were Associate Justices Noel Tijam and Arturo Tayag.
Saying the charge was just trumped up by police, Guerrero had asked the CA to dismiss the murder complaint against him as well as to order his immediate release from jail. (ECV/Sunnex) |
