AMPATUAN TRIAL UPDATE: Court denies prosecution bid to turn three accused into state witnesses
Monday, August 8th, 2011CMFR/PHILIPPINES – Branch 221 of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Quezon City denied 29 July 2011 the prosecution panel’s bid to turn into state witnesses a former vice mayor and two police officers allegedly involved in the 23 November 2009 massacre in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao.
In an eight-page Omnibus Order, Judge Jocelyn Solis Reyes Judge Jocelyn Solis Reyes said that the motion to discharge from the charges accused Mohammad Sangki, Police Insp. Rex Ariel Diongon, and Police Officer 1 Rainier Ebus and to make them state witnesses filed by the prosecution panel was “bereft of merit.” The prosecution had earlier asked the court to make P/Insp. Michael Macaraeg, one of those accused of involvement in the massacre a state witness, but withdrew the motion on 17 November 2010.
