Court denies petition of Dalaig slay suspect

The Manila Regional Trial Court dismissed yesterday the petition for habeas corpus filed by the wife of the prime suspect in the killing of lawyer Alioden Dalaig, former chief of the legal department of the Commission on Elections.

In her petition for habeas corpus, Nurhida Juhuri, wife of Police Officer 1 Basser Ampatuan, asked police respondents to explain why they refused to comply with the release order of Ampatuan that was issued by the Office of the City Prosecutor where he was charged with murder.

Manila Chief Inquest Prosecutor Joseph Lopez ordered Ampatuan’s release and the case was placed under further investigation.

Since Dalaig was shot on Nov. 10, 2007 or more than five months before Ampatuan’s arrest, the prosecutor ruled that he was no longer covered by the rule on inquest investigation.

However, Ampatuan was ordered held under restricted custody at the Regional Headquarters Support jail at Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig by Philippine National Police chief Director General Avelino Razon Jr. for administrative charges.

Nurhida said her husband’s arrest and continued detention were illegal because there was no warrant issued for his arrest and there was already an order for his release from the prosecutor. – With Sandy Araneta