Judge affirms P11.6-M bail for 15 massacre suspects

MANILA, Philippines - The Quezon City court handling the Maguindanao massacre trial has denied the plea of 15 police officers to lower the P11.6-million earlier set in exchange for their temporary freedom.

In a three-page order, Regional Trial Court Branch 221 Assisting Judge Genie Gapas-Agbada denied the motion to reduce bail of the suspects, who asked the court to consider their financial capability.

Earlier, the court granted the suspects’ request that they be allowed to post bail in the multiple murder case. It set the bail at P200,000 for each of the 58 counts of murder, totaling P11.6 million.

In their appeal, the police officers invoked the “three-fold rule” in the Revised Penal Code, which states that the maximum duration of the sentence shall not be more than thrice the length of time of the most severe penalty.

The suspects argued that applying it to the bail, they should only pay for three counts, or only P600,000, and not the entire P11.6 million.

However in her ruling, Gapas-Agbada stressed that the “three-fold rule” has never been applied to bail petitions and is exclusive to the service of sentence of convicted individuals.

“Its intent is to enable prisoners, regardless of the severity of the crimes committed or penalties imposed to apply for parole or executive clemency and not to spend their entire lives in jail,” read the ruling.

Included in the motion were suspects PO1 Herich Amaba, PO3 Rasid Anton, PO2 Hernanie Decipulo Jr., PO3 Felix Enate Jr., PO1 Esprielito Lejarso, PO1 Narkouk Mascud and SPO1 Eduardo Ong.

Also included were PO2 Saudi Pasutan, PO1 Arnulfo Soriano, PO3 Abibudin Abdulgani, PO2 Hamad Nena, PO1 Esmael Guialal, SPO1 Oscar Donato, PO1 Abdullah Baguadadu and PO2 Saudier Ulah.

The police officers were among the 197 suspects initially charged for the Nov. 23, 2009 Maguindanao massacre.

Fifty-eight people, including 32 media practitioners, were killed in the incident.