Atimonan rubout trial moved to Manila court

MANILA, Philippines - The Supreme Court (SC) has allowed the transfer of venue of the trial on the reported rubout of alleged jueteng operator Vic Siman and 12 others in Atimonan, Quezon in January last year. 

In a two-page resolution, the SC’s first division granted the request of Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecutors for transfer of the trial from Gumaca, Quezon Regional Trial Court Branch 61 to the Manila RTC.

Aside from changing the trial venue, the high court also authorized the executive judge of the Manila RTC to raffle the case and ordered the judge that will be handling the case “to proceed with the trial and hearing thereof and to decide the same with dispatch.” 

DOJ Secretary Leila de Lima welcomed the SC action and directed the handling prosecutors to ensure the speedy handling of the case and “to resist dilatory maneuvers from the accused’s end.”

In its request submitted to the high court in October last year, the DOJ cited the “greater risk involved” in transporting all the accused from Camp Crame in Quezon City to Gumaca to attend hearings, as well as the higher costs in doing so.

“Climate in Gumaca is not conducive to the holding of trial as the witnesses, as well as the accused, are vulnerable to threats from extremists in the area, considering the political and economic status of the personalities involved in these cases, and the geographical location of the said municipality,” it added.

Thirteen policemen, including the wounded mission commander Supt. Hansel Marantan, have been ordered dismissed from service in connection with the alleged Atimonan rubout.

All the respondents were found guilty of serious irregularity in the performance of duty, according to a March 5 decision signed by Philippine National Police chief Director General Alan Purisima.

They have since pleaded not guilty to the charges. 

The criminal charges were filed by the families of the 13 victims who were gunned down at a checkpoint by a joint force from the local police and military. The families filed the charges with the help of the National Bureau of Investigation.