MANILA, Philippines — Charges filed against an individual must be faced “regardless of age,” Malacañang said Tuesday after calls were made on the release of a 72-year-old jeepney driver in detention for allegedly breaching quarantine protocols during a recent protest in Caloocan.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said this as he noted that the case of Elmer Cordero, who remains in jail, will undergo due process.
“Dadaan po ‘yan sa proseso. Dadaan po ‘yan sa piskalya, kung wala pong ebidensya, madidismiss po ‘yung kaso,” Roque said in an online briefing when sought for comment on the matter.
(That will undergo due process. That will undergo fiscal and if there is no evidence, the case will be dismissed.)
“Titignan po natin ‘yan kasi regardless of your age, ‘pag may pending case, kinakailangan harapin ‘yung kaso. Magkakaroon lang po ‘yan ng clemency if he is found guilty. Meron tayong probisyon that the court can recommend pardon or parole to senior citizens,” he further said.
(We will look into it because regardless of your age, if you have a pending case, you need to face the charges. There will only be clemency if he is found guilty. There is a provision that the court can recommend pardon or parole to senior citizens.)
Only four of six Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON) members were released after nearly a week in detention for supposedly violating quarantine protocols during their protest against the jeepney ban on June 2.
The jeepney drivers were charged with complaints of disobedience to social distancing and mass gathering rules, and resistance to persons in authority.
Cordero and 43-year-old Wilson Ramilla were left in detention after records showed there were pending cases against the two.