Manila RTC denies motion to rearrest Satur Ocampo
MANILA, Philippines — The Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 32 has denied the motion for the issuance of recommitment order against former Rep. Satur Ocampo for his murder case.
In a ruling dated Aug. 19, Presiding Judge Thelma Bunyi-Medina said: “The Court finds no reason to issue a recommitment order against accused-movant Ocampo.”
“Inarguably, he was granted provisional liberty by the Supreme Court pursuant to its resolution in Saturnino C. Ocampo versus Honorable Ephrem S. Abando, et. al. wherein, among others, it ruled that “xxx Saturnino C. Ocampo shall remain on temporary liberty under the same bail granted by this Court until the termination of the proceedings before the RTC Manila,” the ruling read.
Ocampo was earlier provisionally released after posting a bail of P100,000 in relation to a multiple murder case filed against him and several others following the discovery of a mass grave in Inopacan, Leyte.
But the Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecutors said that Ocampo “manifested his proclivity to abuse the provisional liberty that was granted to him”, citing that Ocampo was arrested at a checkpoint in Talaingod, Davao del Norte back in November 2018 after 14 minors were found in their convoy.
Charges of human trafficking and kidnapping were filed against Ocampo, with the case still pending before the Tagum City RTC Branch 2 in Davao del Norte.
READ: PNP files kidnapping, human trafficking raps vs Satur Ocampo, et al
“Instead of making good use of his provisional liberty, accused Ocampo chose to betray the trust of the authority which granted him his temporary freedom by involving himself in another unlawful activity. This renders him unworthy of the temporary liberty granted to him,” the prosecutors argued.
The Manila RTC, however, said that the “grant of bail to accused-movant Ocampo is not subject to any other condition, except that its effectivity is until the termination of the proceedings of this case.”
“Thus, for lack of merit, the instant motion is denied,” it added.
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