JAILED police officer Adonis Dumpit has asked the Court of Appeals to allow him to post bail for his temporary freedom, while the appellate court has yet to resolve his petition seeking to reverse his homicide conviction.
Benjamin Militar, lawyer of Dumpit, filed a petition for bail asking the Court of Appeals (CA) to allow the police officer to post an amount “commensurate to his capability as a low-ranking officer.”
Dumpit is asking the CA to grant him bail because he is not a “flight risk,” said Militar.
Militar said Dumpit is even a “decorated police officer.” The National Police Commission also cleared Dumpit of administrative charges in relation to the crime he was convicted of.
“He (Dumpit) has been in detention for a considerable period of time, that if taken together with credits for good behavior may already qualify him for parole,” Militar wrote.
Militar said that Dumpit’s main reason in appealing his conviction is that he wants to clear his name so he could return to police service and retire with his name “unblemished by the taint of this conviction.”
“He (Dumpit) wants to vindicate the honor of the institution he is serving, so that peace officers in the campaign against criminals, are not thwarted into decision and wavering in the performance of their lawful duties,” said Militar.
Judge Ester Veloso of the Regional Trial Court branch 6 earlier ordered the entire records of the case be transmitted to the CA.
Citing Republic Act 8249 and Batas Pambansa 129, Veloso denied the defense’s motion that sought to allow Dumpit to file his notice of appeal before the Sandiganbayan.
The jurisprudence provides that the Sandiganbayan has no jurisdiction to tackle Dumpit’s appeal, the judge pointed out.
“While it may be true that the court ruled that the commission of the crime was attended by the incomplete justifying circumstance of fulfillment of duty, this does not determine jurisdiction,” read Veloso’s four-page order.
The defense sought to elevate the case to the higher court after Veloso denied Dumpit’s motion for reconsideration on his homicide conviction for the death of Ronron Go in 2004.
Dumpit was charged with murder for shooting Go to death on Dec. 14, 2004. Go allegedly robbed three jeepney passengers, including a 14-year-old girl.