THE proceedings over the illegal possession of firearms case filed against self-proclaimed member of the Davao Death Squad (DDS) Edgar Matobato in Davao City is still put on hold.
Municipal Trial Courts in Cities (MTCC) Branch 6 presiding Judge Nanette Gustilo Lemana ordered the proceedings of the case suspended until a petition of Matobato shall have been resolved.
In an order dated on December 22, a petition for change of venue filed by Matobato through his legal counsel lawyer Jude Sabio is pending before the Supreme Court (SC).
Matobato's counsel was directed to inform the court of any action on accused's petition as soon as he receives a copy of the higher court's order.
The illegal possession of firearms case filed against the accused was re-raffled to MTCC Branch 6 from MTCC Branch 3 after Judge Silverio Mandalupe, of the MTCC Branch 3, inhibited himself from the case.
Mandalupe inhibited himself from the case after Sabio filed a motion for his inhibition due to alleged biased decision on issuing an arrest warrant against Matobato who failed to show up on his arraignment last November 3.
Sabio earlier said that a pending motion for transfer of hearing has been filed by him in a court in Quezon City, and found the issuance of the arrest warrant to his client unfair and unreasonable.
The camp of the accused filed P30,000 bail for his temporary freedom for his non-appearance on scheduled hearing last October 4.
Matobato's illegal possession of firearms case was filed in 2014 after he was caught by authorities carrying an unlicensed firearm near his residence.
The National Bureau of Investigation is currently looking for Matobato who is believed to be hiding in a province in Eastern Visayas Region.