MANILA, Philippines?A Quezon City court is expected to set a date for the hearing of the petition for bail filed by Andal Ampatuan Jr. regarding the multiple murder case filed against him for the Nov 23 massacre of 57 people in Maguindanao province.

An employee of Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221, who declined to be identified, said they will be soon issuing a date for the hearing.

"A petition for bail was filed before Branch 84 but when the case was re-raffled to us, the documents were also transmitted. Our judge is still studying the records,? the employee said Monday morning.

Court staff also declined to show the records of the multiple murder case against Ampatuan.

Ampatuan's lawyer Sigfrid Fortun confirmed in a text message that he indeed filed a petition for bail for his client, but likewise refused to give a copy of the document.