Former President Benigno Aquino III INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / LYN RILLON
The Sandiganbayan on Friday postponed the arraignment of former President Benigno Aquino III on graft and usurpation charges in connection with the Mamasapano debacle in January 2015 that led to the deaths of 60 people, including 44 police commandos.
The arraignment is the reading of criminal charges against an accused, who then enters a plea of guilty or not guilty.
The antigraft court’s Fourth Division moved the arraignment to Feb. 15 to give itself time to resolve the motion to quash of Aquino, who did not show up at the hearing.
Prosecutors charged Aquino with usurpation of authority for allowing the involvement of then Philippine National Police chief Alan Purisima, who was under suspension by the Ombudsman, in the execution of “Oplan Exodus,” the police operation to neutralize Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan. —DJ YAP