The Court of Appeals building in Ermita, Manila. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/COURT OF APPEALS WEBSITE
MANILA, Philippines—A high-profile convict detained for kidnapping filed a writ of amparo in the Court of Appeals on Monday to contest his jail transfer from the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa to the National Bureau of Investigation headquarters in Manila.
Noel Martinez was among the 19 high-profile inmates from Bilibid transferred to the NBI after a raid that yielded drugs, huge amount of cash, firearms, illegal drugs and other items on Dec. 15.
The inmate, through his sister Marilou Golloso Martinez, argued in the petition that detainees have been prohibited from entertaining visitors since December 16.
“At the outset, the transfer of Noel to the NBI facility is arbitrary in itself as it is not sanctioned by any rule or law,” the petition said.
The respondents to the petition were the heads of the Department of Justice, Bureau of Corrections and NBI.
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