RTC denies motion to recall arrest warrant vs. Dumpit

CEBU, Philippines - Regional Trial Court Branch 6 judge Ester Veloso yesterday partially denied the motion to recall the arrest warrant against PO3 Adonis Dumpit because the Office of the Ombudsman has not yet filed a motion to amend the information.

“There is no legal or factual basis, the Ombudsman did not file a motion to amend the information,” Veloso said.

Veloso added that she cannot act yet on the motion of the defense saying that the prosecution and the Visayas Ombudsman have yet to receive a copy of the resolution issued by the Ombudsman of the Military and Other Law Enforcement Offices.

Veloso said that she will only act on the defenses motion once the Ombudsman will file its comment on the resolution of the MOLEO.

Prosecution lawyer Alfred Oguis said that they have not yet received a copy of the resolution downgrading the murder charges to homicide.

Oguis said that Dumpit’s refusal to surrender to authorities despite the arrest warrant simply showed that he has no respect for the court.

Oguis said that he will be filing a petition before Veloso against the superiors of Dumpit for their failure to bring the latter to the authorities.

Dumpit’s lawyer Pedro Leslie Salva told reporters that he was surprised that the court and the Visayas Ombudsman have yet to receive a copy of the MOLEO resolution and will try his best to furnish the court copies of the resolution soon.

Salva stressed that his client is not hiding from authorities and that Dumpit is just in Cebu.

“He does not fight the law, he only fights criminals,” he said.

Dumpit is facing murder charges for the death of robbery suspect Ronron Go five years ago.

Salva, filed a motion asking the court to recall the arrest warrant, saying that the order to arrest him was already “moot and academic” because it was issued after the anti-graft office ruled to downgrade the charges from murder to homicide.

Supt. Rex Derilo, chief of the Firearms Explosives Security Agencies and Guards Supervision Section, denied allegations that they are not exerting efforts to locate Dumpit.

Derilo said that his troops, in coordination with other police authorities and other law enforcement agencies, are always looking for Dumpit.

Derilo said since his last contact with Dumpit, the day before the warrant was served last week, he was no longer able to talk with him despite several attempts to contact him.

The police official also said that the presumption of the family of Go that the police are only waiting for Dumpit to surrender is not true.

In a radio report, Dumpit said that whether the court dismisses his motion to recall for warrant of arrest or not, he is ready to surrender next week. — Jasmin U. Labaco and Niña G. Sumacot/BRP   (FREEMAN NEWS)