Maguindanao massacre judge eyes Court of Appeals or Sandigan post

Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

The judge handling the Maguindanao massacre case is one of the aspirants for either the Court of Appeals or Sandiganbayan post.

Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 221 Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes is one of the applicants for the associate justice post at the Court of Appeals which will be vacated on Dec. 1 upon the compulsory retirement of Associate Justice Agnes R. Carpio and two Sandiganbayan posts vacated by retired Associate Justice Napoleon Inoturan and Associate Justice Jose R. Hernandez who will retire on Nov. 22.

Aside from Reyes, other aspirants include fellow Quezon City RTC Judge Angelene Mary V. Quimpo-Sale, Makati RTC Judge Selma P. Alaras and Pasay City RTC Judge Eugenio Dela Cruz.

Last year, Reyes also applied and was shortlisted for a Court of Appeals post.

Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno last year said she already appealed to Reyes to stay with the case.

READ: Judge: Trial ‘almost halfway through…’

“Sabi ko sa kanya ‘Judge wag kang bibitiw. Please huwag (I said to her, ‘Judge, please stay with the case.’),’” Sereno told reporters last year but said she cannot blame the judge.

“Her family is under watch. She has guards, even her children. It is not an easy life. So, when you come face to face with a human being…telling you ‘Chief, wala na ba akong karapatang mapromote man lang?’ Ang hirap sagutin nun, no (Chief, don’t I have the right to be promoted? It’s difficult to answer),” Sereno said.

READ: Maguindanao massacre judge hopes case ‘won’t take 55,000 years’

In her heart, she said she wanted the Maguindanao massacre case resolved expeditiously but she said she also has to be fair to Reyes.

Before Solis-Reyes, the case was raffled off to several judges but they inhibited from the case.

To date, the Maguindanao massacre cases account for 58 victims and 195 accused, with 112 already arraigned. The trials are actively attended by 12 prosecutors who comprise the third panel of public prosecutors, 7 private prosecutors and 27 defense lawyers. The transcripts of stenographic notes have reached 52 volumes, while the records of the cases are 114 thick volumes.

The high court has also issued special trial guidelines to fast-track reception of evidence while hearings are continuous and thrice Tweekly.

Reyes, who took over the case on Jan. 5, 2010, has already heard a total of 223 witnesses: 131 prosecution witnesses, 34 defense witnesses and 58 private complainants as of August 2016.

The prosecution already rested its case after filing five batches of formal offers of evidence against 105 accused, and the court already resolved the first batch involving 9 accused. The presentation of defense evidence commenced last June 29. RAM/rga