Dismissal of charges vs Maza, 3 others ‘a legal monstrosity’ — CWC lawyer

The lawyer and legal panel chair of the Citizen’s Crime Watch (CCW) criticized the dismissal of murder charges against Anti-Poverty Commissioner Liza Maza, former Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael “Paeng” Mariano, and former Bayan Muna House Representatives Satur Ocampo and Teddy Casino, calling it a “legal monstrosity.”

“It is a legal monstrosity. Something is indeed rotten when prosecutors who are supposed to protect the interests of the people from criminals stand idly by and do nothing and allow people to literally get away with murder, in this case double murder,” Ferdinand Topacio told INQUIRER.net in a text message on Monday.

Earlier, the Palayan, Nueva Ecija Regional Trial Court ordered the dismissal of the cases against the four who were accused of murder for the death of Akbayan partylist supporters Carlito Bayudang, Jimmy Peralta, and Danny Felipe, in 2006.

READ: Murder cases vs Liza Maza, et al. dismissed; warrant voided

The court order also voided the arrest warrants issued against Maza and the former lawmakers.

Topacio added that he would ask Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra to launch a full investigation and order the immediate filing of a motion for reconsideration.

“We in the Citizens’ Crime Watch and the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption will demand that Sec. Guevarra launch a full investigation as to why his prosecutors were recreant in their duties, and for him to order the immediate filing of a motion for reconsideration,” he said. /ee