Supreme Court stops arrest of Nueva Ecija mayor tagged in slay

CUYAPO, Nueva Ecija, Philippines  – The Supreme Court (SC) has issued a temporary restraining order stopping the arrest of this town’s mayor who was tagged in the killing of a municipal employee in June last year.

In a three-page order dated March 9, a copy of which was released yesterday, the SC’s First Division chaired by Justice Antonio Carpio granted the petition of Mayor Amado Corpuz to stop Judge Ramon Pamular of Regional Trial Court Branch 33 from implementing his Feb. 26 order granting the motion to amend the information to indict Corpuz and directing his arrest.

The TRO, signed by SC’s First Division Clerk of Court Enriqueta Esguerra-Vidal, also enjoined Pamular, provincial prosecutor Floro Florendo and private complainant Priscila Espinosa and/or all persons acting upon their orders or in their behalf from proceeding with the case.

The SC said the TRO will be “continuing” until its further order.

Corpuz, through his legal counsel, lawyer Napoleon Galit Jr., filed the petition for certiorari and prohibition with prayer for the issuance of a TRO and/or writ of preliminary injunction against Pamular’s order directing his arrest for his alleged involvement in the killing of Espinosa’s husband, Angelito.

Angelito Espinosa was killed following an altercation with Corpuz’s bodyguard Carlito Samonte at the municipal compound on June 4 last year.

A witness, Alexander Lozano, executed a supplemental affidavit alleging that Corpuz masterminded the crime.

Lozano alleged that Corpuz handed the gun supposedly used by Samonte in shooting Espinosa.