The family of Adrian Fornillos, the male pageant candidate who was killed in Cagayan de Oro in 2023, has filed a motion for reconsideration after the Department of Justice (DOJ) dismissed the murder complaint against the pastor linked to the killing.

Fornillos’ legal counsel said they already received a copy of the DOJ resolution dismissing the murder case filed against Pastor Dimver Andales and his companions for lack of probable cause.

The DOJ also granted the petition for review filed by the respondents.

Fornillos’ lawyer also filed an opposition to the motion to withdraw information after the DOJ directed the City Prosecutor’s Office to withdraw the information against Andales before the Regional Trial Court.

“Diskumpyado mi sa maong resolution kay, una, kato man gud petition for review diin ang resolution nigawas katung September 4, 2024, gipasaka to sa akusado human sila ma-arraign kay hinumdumi nga kining kaso is already with the court RTC Branch 39. So naa man gud rule ang DOJ mismo nga kung ma-arraign na ang kaso dili na pwede mag-appeal,” Fornillos’ legal counsel, Atty. Dale Mordeno, said.

Mordeno said they were surprised by the speedy issuance of the DOJ resolution as compared to the other petitions for review that they filed for other cases that they handled.

“Celebrated case man gud ni matod pa nimo so tingali ang DOJ wanted to be spared from criticisms sa public nga it is not prompt in deciding appeals muna ilang gidali, that’s one. And maybe siguro the accused is pestering the DOJ to act on their petition for review without delay so muna DOJ also acted promptly,” Mordeno added.

The camp of the complainant said they will exhaust all legal remedies to get justice.

GMA Regional TV One Mindanao is trying to reach out to the accused for comment, as of this writing.

Andales and a certain alias “kuya” were arrested in October 2023 after the two were accused of killing Fornillos while the latter was on his way to his mentor’s house to practice his performance for the pageant  on May 19, 2023.