Quezon City judge junks petition by Orate kin

A judge has dismissed a petition that he set aside the arraignment of Romeo Allan Robes who stands accused of killing Noel Orate Sr., the former boyfriend of ex-Quezon City Rep. Nanette Castelo-Daza.

According to Judge Luis Zenon Maceren of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 218, the court is the “best and sole judge on what to do” with the homicide case filed against Robes, Daza’s son-in-law.

“The determination of the case is within its exclusive jurisdiction and competence … ,” the court said.

Robes was arraigned on a charge of homicide after he admitted that he shot Orate in self-defense inside Daza’s house in February.

The victim’s family, however, have filed an appeal with the Department of Justice (DOJ), saying that Robes should have been charged with murder since their father was shot five times at close range. At the same time, they asked the judge to postpone Robes’ arraignment until the DOJ has ruled on their motion.

In April, the  DOJ upheld the charge of homicide, a ruling that was appealed by the Orates, although the court decided to push through with Robes’ scheduled arraignment.

The court set the continuation of the proceedings with a pretrial on August 7. Julie M. Aurelio