"Robber" wants marathon hearing

CEBU, Philippines - One of the accused in the botched robbery of a roving bank teller inside a mall at Fuente Osmeña requested the court for a marathon hearing.

Lawyer Rameses Victorious Villagonzalo who represents Rolien Castro said a marathon hearing will hasten the proceedings.

He added considering that the prosecution has a number of witnesses, the proceedings will take years if they will not file a motion for marathon hearing.

State Prosecutor Aida Sanchez told The FREEMAN through a text message, she has no objection to the motion filed by the defense.

“Ok ra nako ang marathon hearing if the court can accommodate them,” she said.

Sanchez said they will be presenting more than 20 witnesses against the accused.

Earlier, Castro filed a motion to post bail saying the evidence against him was weak.

However, Sanchez in her opposition, asked the court to deny the motion to post bail for lack of merit.

“Contrary to the allegation of the defense counsel that the evidence of guilt of the accused is weak or non-existent, the prosecution’s evidence will show that the said accused was part of the highly-publicized heist committed in broad daylight at Robinson’s Place,” the opposition read.

Judge Wilfredo Navarro of Regional Trial Court Branch 19 is yet to decide on the motion to post bail.

Castro and his co-accused Junjun Cabando and Merlyn Laguitao, the live-in partner of Cabando, are facing robbery with homicide charges.

They are now detained at the Cebu City jail.

The three were accused of robbing a bank teller inside a mall on Sept. 5, 2011 where two security guards died, and a bank teller and two police officers were wounded.

Three robbers also died after they were shot by pursuing policemen.  (FREEMAN)