Roque on Maguindanao massacre trial: 'Rotten justice system'

FORMER Presidential Spokesperson Lawyer Harry Roque said the battle for justice for the victims of the Maguindanao massacre is far from over even though the Regional Trial Court (RTC) is set to release its promulgation on the case next month.

Roque said if the court convicts the Ampatuans, they can still appeal the case to the Court of Appeals and Supreme Court.

"10 years na nga sa RTC level pa, another 5 years pa sa Court of Appeals and another 5 years na naman sa Supreme Court," he said.

Roque called for a reform of the "rotten justice system" in the country.

The 10-year trial of the Maguindanao massacre, he said, is a testament of the slow judicial process in the country.

Roque said the country's justice system should adopt an inquisitory system, a legal system in which the court is actively involved in investigating the facts of the case.

This is different from the current adversarial system, in which the role of the court is primarily that of an impartial referee between the prosecution and the defense.

Adopting the inquisitory system fast-tracks the case resolution, he said.

"We owe it to the victims to reform criminal justice," he said.

Roque was in the city over the weekend to judge a debate competition of the Rotary Club of Cagayan de Oro Premier.

The former presidential spokesperson represents 19 victims of the Maguindanao massacre, 17 of them are media personalities.

The Regional Trial Court Branch 221 in Quezon City is set to issue a promulgation on December 20, on the fate of the accused Andal and Zaldy Ampatuan.

Some 58 persons, including 32 journalists were killed on November 23, 2009 in what was tagged as the worst case of election-related violence in the country and the single deadliest attack against the media.

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