Group says recommendation to suspend prosecutors over Kerwin case 'reckless'

MANILA, Philippines — A group of prosecutors slammed the “reckless and malicious” recommendation of the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission to suspend state prosecutors who handled the case of Kerwin Espinosa and his co-respondents.

 

In a statement, the State Prosecutors and Prosecution Attorneys Association Inc. said that the PACC recommendation to put state prosecutors under preventive suspension while under investigation is “alarming.”

 

 

The Department of Justice drew strong criticism when news hit that Assistant State Prosecutor Michael John Humarang and now Regional Trial Court Judge Aristotle Reyes dismissed the drug raps against Espinosa and others due to the “weak complaint” filed by the police.

 

But the prosecutors’ group stressed: “As prosecutors, we are bound to decide each case based on the evidence presented before us. We can neither take popular opinion nor public outcry as ground for filing a case or dismissing a complaint.”

 

“Fair play demands that the public observe the same principle before making any action and avoid dampening the reputation of others without cause,” they added.

 

Humarang and Reyes cited the “inconsistent testimonies” of the police’s sole witness, Marcelo Adorco, in dropping the complaint. The Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group has earlier admitted that they did not attach Espinosa’s confession in their complaint.

 

 

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II last week said that the PACC recommendation was “premature” as the DOJ still has the power to review the case.

 

The new panel of prosecutors, led by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Juan Pedro Navera, has summoned Espinosa and his co-respondents for a preliminary investigation on April 2.