MANILA, Philippines — A tricycle driver who had been acquitted by a Manila court of drug charges is on trial again – this time for alleged illegal possession of firearms.
Francisco Maneja Jr. attended yesterday the hearing of his case before the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 1.
Police had accused Maneja of fighting back to resist arrest in a supposed drug sting in Malate in 2016.
Unconvinced that Maneja was wounded in a legitimate police operation, Judge Alfredo Ampuan of the Manila RTC Branch 40 cleared Maneja of drug charges last September.
“He lived to tell the truth about what really happened to him,” Maneja’s lawyer, Gregorio Viterbo Jr. of the Free Legal Assistance Group, said.
The human rights group cited Maneja’s case in questioning the police tales of “nanlaban” or incidents of drug suspects fighting back.
“His case casts doubt on the police versions of armed encounters during anti-narcotics operations,” Viterbo said.
During yesterday’s trial, Police Officer 1 June Fave Mejarito testitified that Maneja fired at him during a sting along Aldecoa street in Malate on Sept. 13, 2016.
Mejarito said Maneja was wounded when police returned fire. Another drug suspect, George Huggins, died in the incident.
Police claimed that they recovered a .22-caliber handgun from Maneja.
In his testimony, Mejarito said Maneja pushed PO1 Orlando Gonzales, who posed as a drug buyer, out of the tricycle and fired at police but missed.
Maneja’s camp denied the allegation, saying he did not own a gun.