Judge in Ampatuan murder case asked to inhibit self
MANILA, Philippines - The lawyer of Datu Unsay, Maguindanao Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., main suspect in the November 23 massacre of 57 people in Maguindanao, has asked the judge handling the murder case to recuse herself because of bias.
In a 20-page motion for recusation, lawyer Philip Sigfrid Fortun asked Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes of Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221 to inhibit herself from the case for "committing serious misconduct in disregarding simple evidentiary rules" and for showing bias in the case.
"A judge must preserve the trust and faith reposed in him by the parties as an impartial and objective administrator of justice. When he exhibits actions that give rise, fairly or unfairly, to perceptions of bias, such faith and confidence are eroded, and he has no choice but to inhibit himself voluntarily," the motion read.
Prosecution said they will oppose the motion especially since a new judge would not have heard the testimonies of the previous witnesses. The inhibition will be decided upon by the judge herself.
The hearing, meant to hear the testimony of more witnesses, has been deferred at the request of the defense. This is to allow both sides to deal with the consolidation of 196 more respondents joining the charge sheet with Andal Ampatuan Jr. , including members of the Ampatuan family now being held in Davao.
The prosecution also filed a show-cause order against the Ampatuans' Davao lawyer for contempt. They claimed Philip Pantojan should be penalized for the press conference he held after the earlier testimony of prosecution witness Rasul Sangki. Pantojan claimed that Sangki was a paid witness.
Prosecution lawyer Nena Santos said it is about time they file contempt charges against the defense. The defense already filed four show-cause orders against the prosecution for speaking to the media.
Santos claimed that Fortun has been lying in court since the beginning of the trial, when Fortun told the court that Ampatuan Jr. could not speak English or Filipino.
The court will resume on February 24.
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walang problema sa amin. tell that to ur fellow "CHRISTIAN"
sabihin mo yan sa mga nag gegeneralize katulad ng DIABLO jan sa baba na si wagdu koaks.
Wag naman po sana tayong magtalo
Pakiusap lang po, wag naman nating idamay ang relihiyong ating kinabibilangan. Ang ugat po ng kasamaan ng isang tao kailanmay hindi itinuturo at ituturo ng kahit anong relihiyon. ang kasamaan ay nasa pag iisip ng tao, at ng kaniyang kahinaan. Wag naman po sana nating idamay ang pangkalahatang miyembro ng relihiyong ating kinabibilangan.
Hayaan po natin ang hustisya ang humusga, kung may pinapanigan man sila o wala, sila ang ating batikusin, marahil sila ay nasisilaw sa pera o kapangyarihan na naka laan sa kanila kung kanilang maitago ang katotohanan.
wagdu koaks, ang DIABLO
kayo palang mga KRISTIYANO, malilinis ba kayo? mga anghel ba kayo? hindi ba kayo pumapatay, nanggagahasa ng SARILI NIYONG ANAK? ano ba ang laman ng mga pulis reports sa tv patrol at sa ibang news programs, radio stations at newspapers, di ba kayo ring mga KRISTIYANO na pumapatay, nanghoholdap,nanloloob ng bahay, nangingidnap ng mga estudyante, nagtutulak ng shabu, at ang pinakaworst, ginagahasa ang mga bata at SARILING ANAK!!!! mas utos pa ng DIABLO ang mga ginagawa nyo. di na nga magkasya sa kulungan sa kamaynilaan ang sandamakmak na kriminal na KRISTIYANO eh. ang hirap sa mga katulad mo, nakakita ka lang ng ISANG REPORT tungkol sa muslim, nilalahat mo na agad. take a look around you, you piece of shit.malamang sa squatter ka din nakatira na puno ng kapitbahay na adik at kriminal. pero dahil kapwa KRISTIYANO, pinapabyaan nyo lang.pero pag MUSLIM, antapang nyo mag comment.PWEEHH!!
TO atty philip sigfrid fortune
if the judge is bias..how bias is you depending the criminals who kill dozens of people?atty for what?to depend the criminals..
muslim mga diablo
ang sinasamba niyong mga muslim ay si satanas , kasi paligi kayong pumapatay at patay na pinupugutan pa at ginagahasa pa, siguro utos ng diablo ang gawain ninyo