Manila RTC dismisses DOJ motion to cancel bail, reissue arrest warrants in Missing Sabungeros case

The Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) has dismissed the motion filed by the Department of Justice seeking to cancel the bail and to reissue arrest warrants for the suspects behind the missing sabungeros case.

According to a "24 Oras" report by Saleema Refran on Thursday, the Justice Department had issued a Motion for Cancellation of Bond and Issuance of Warrant of Arrest with the Manila RTC Branch 41, upon the resolution of the Court of Appeals (CA) to dismiss the suspects’ petition for bail.

However, the court dismissed the motion due to lack of merit.

The court further said the CA did not ask for the cancellation of bail and that the CA’s decision was not final and executory as the lower courts have not yet received any further instructions.

The prosecution said that they are reviewing a resolution to file a motion for reconsideration.

“We are hoping that we can still convince the judge na magbago yung isip niya… ‘Yung desisyon ng Court of Appeals ay malinaw. Sinasabi niya na dapat ang piyansa ay hindi pinagkaloob sa mga akusado. Ang necessary implication niyan is that at dahil dito, kanselahin dapat yung bond na ibinigay sa kanila,” said National Prosecution Service Prosecutor General Richard Fadullon.

(We are hoping that we can still convince the judge to change his mind… The decision of the Court of Appeals is clear. It said the accused should not have been granted bail. The necessary implication of this is that the bond given to them must be cancelled.)

“Mayroon bang pangamba na baka [ang mga suspects] makatakbo o makaalis? Laging nandiyan yan. (There is that fear that [the suspects] leave? It’s always there.) So again, one of the considerations is filing a motion for the issuance of a hold departure order with the court,” he added.

GMA Integrated News has reached out to the victims’ families for comment. — Jiselle Anne Casucian/BAP, GMA Integrated News