Zaldy asks CA to reverse bail plea denial

MANILA, Philippines – Former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) governor Zaldy Ampatuan, one of the alleged masterminds of the 2009 Maguindanao massacre, has asked the Court of Appeals (CA) to reverse the denial of his petition for bail.

In a 35-page petition for certiorari released yesterday, Ampatuan asked the CA to reverse the two orders of Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221 Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes that denied his petition for bail.

He claimed that the court gravely abused its discretion when it denied his petition for bail and motion for reconsideration.

In the CA petition, Ampatuan’s lawyers claimed that the ruling solely focused on his supposed participation in the meetings where the Nov. 23, 2009 massacre was allegedly planned.

They said he was able to establish that he was not at the scene when the incident happened.

Ampatuan added that as a diabetic, his need for constant medical supervision makes flight or going into hiding a potentially disastrous situation which could even lead to his death.