THE Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 17 recommended that the venue for the terrorism case and custody of the accused Maute members behind the September 2 Roxas night market incident be transferred to Taguig City, Metro Manila.
Accused TJ Macabalang, Wendel Apostol Facturan, Musali Mustapha, Zack Villanueva Lopez, Jericho de Rome, and others were earlier charged with terrorism, following the Roxas bombing incident that killed 15 people and injured 69 others.
The accused are also facing multiple murder and multiple frustrated murder charges before the RTC Branch 33 following the same incident.
RTC Branch 17 Judge Evalyn Arellano-Morales, in a two-page letter addressed to the Supreme Court (SC), reiterated her stand that the venue of the criminal case be transferred to a court in Taguig City and that the custody be transferred to Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan, Taguig City.
Arellano-Morales issued such letter considering that the SC only received a comment from the public prosecutor and none from the accused and/or their counsels, and in the interest of justice and safety of all persons concerned.
The RTC Branch 17 has not yet scheduled an arraignment and hearing for the terrorism case against the Maute group members in the Roxas night market incident awaiting for the decision of the SC.
The Davao City Prosecutor’s Office filed a petition before the Department of Justice to move the trial and detention of the accused to another place.