Former party-list lawmakers face arrest for 2006 murder cases

MANILA, Philippines — A Nueva Ecija court has issued warrants for the arrest of four former party-list lawmakers for murder charges filed against them in 2006.

According to an advisory sent through human rights group Karapatan, warrants were issued against former Reps. Satur Ocampo and Teddy Casiño (Bayan Muna), National Anti-Poverty Commission Secretary Liza Maza and former Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano.

In 2006, the four party-list lawmakers were accused of involvement in the abduction and killing of Danilo Felipe in 2001, Jimmy Peralta, in 2003 and Carlito Bayudang in 2004. The three victims were reportedly supporters of rival party-list Akbayan. 

"Yes. Nagulat din kami," lawyer Neri Colmenares, chair of Bayan Muna and Makabayan, said in a text message to confirm the issuance of the warrants. He said the warrants were issued by the regional trial court in Palayan City, Nueva Ecija.

He said a press conference would be held Friday afternoon.

In 2008, Judge Evelyn Turla ordered the case remanded to the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor, saying "the proper procedure in the conduct of the preliminary investigation was not followed" and that prosecutors should conduct a proper preliminary investigation.

"From the gathering of evidence until the termination of the preliminary investigation, it appears that the state prosecutors were overly-eager to file the case and to secure a warrant of arrest of [petitioners] without bail and their consequent detention," she also said.

The respondents questioned the move before the Supreme Court, saying the cases against them should be dismissed if the court did not find probable cause. 

In February 2017, the Supreme Court partially granted the respondents' petition, saying sending the cases back to the prosecutor was improper.

"Regardless of Judge Turla's assessment on the conduct of the preliminary investigation, it was incumbent upon her to determine the existence of probable cause against the accused after a personal evaluation of the prosecutors' report and the supporting documents," the Supreme Court said.

It then remanded the case to the Regional Trial Court, Palayan City branch "for further proceedings with due and deliberate dispatch in accordance with this decision."

READ: Cops fail to catch leftist solon: Satur hides; are Teddy, Liza next?

The arrest warrant against the leftist leaders is part of the Duterte administration's crackdown against activists and ordinary citizens fighting against dictatorship, Anakbayan UP Diliman said.

The warrant came days after Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, president when the cases were filed, was elected House speaker.

Ocampo, Casiño, Maza and Mariano, along with former Rep. Joel Virador (Bayan Muna), were known as the "Batasan Five" in 2006 for seeking refuge at the House of Representatives amid separate rebellion charges against them.

The five left-leaning partylist lawmakers claimed parliamentary immunity and hid in Batasang Pambansa on February 27, 2006 to escape from the government's crackdown following a coup attempt. — Patricia Lourdes Viray