Gov’t asks SC to void Villarosa acquittal

The government has asked the Supreme Court to void the acquittal of former Mindoro Occidental Rep. Jose Villarosa and three others who were previously convicted for the 1997 killing of brothers Paul and Michael Quintos.

In an unprecedented move, the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) questioned the authority of the Court of Appeals to review and revise the rulings of the regional trial courts in criminal cases punishable by life imprisonment.

In a 27-page comment, Solicitor General Jose Anselmo Cadiz also petitioned the high tribunal to take a “second look” and “revisit” its decision in the case of People of the Philippines v Efren Mateo, which paved the way for the appellate court to amend the judgment of lower courts in criminal cases.

“Indubitably, the Court of Appeals acted without jurisdiction when it took cognizance and decided (Villarosa et al.’s case),” the OSG said in its Oct. 17 manifestation.

“Apropos, the (conviction of Villarosa et al.) should have automatically been elevated to this honorable court since all the accused were meted out the penalty of death,” it added.

The OSG filed the comment in compliance with the high court’s March 16 order which was prompted by a petition for certiorari filed by the Quintos family seeking a reversal of the appeals court’s March 18, 2008, ruling.

Paul and Michael, who were gunned down in Mamburao, Mindoro Occidental, on Dec. 17, 1997, were sons of former Rep. Ricardo Quintos, Villarosa’s political rival in the province.

Although it reversed the guilty verdict handed down by Quezon City RTC Judge Ma. Theresa Yadao, the appellate court said the acquittal of Villarosa, Ruben Balaguer, Gelito Bautista and Mario Tobias for lack of evidence “does not suggest that they are innocent.”

Sought for comment, the victims’ brother, Robert Quintos, described the OSG’s action in the case as “providential.”

“Apparently, our prayers were answered by this comment filed by the OSG,” Quintos told the Inquirer.

“It was providential that this case was not resolved by the Supreme Court during the time of GMA (former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo),” he said, noting that Villarosa and his wife, incumbent Mindoro Occidental Rep. Amelita Villarosa, were staunch allies of Arroyo.

According to Quintos, the OSG’s comment would give their family a chance to “ventilate” before the tribunal that the appellate court committed grave abuse of discretion “in ignoring the clear evidence pointing to Villarosa as the mastermind.”