Judge in Ampatuan murder trial junks inhibition plea

Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221 will still preside over the multiple murder case against Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. In an order dated March 18, Solis-Reyes junked the Ampatuan camp's motions for recusation and supplemental recusation, both alleging her of being biased against the accused in handling the murder trial and inept in court procedures. The judge said the claim of Andal Jr that she was biased was a mere allegation that was "unsubstantiated... [due to the] absence of clear and convincing evidence to overcome the presumption that the judge will undertake his noble role to dispense justice, according to evidence and without fear or favor." "The presiding judge is of the view that her acts did not contravene any of the principles of the Code of Judicial Conduct," she added. In seeking Reyes's inhibition, Ampatuan Jr's counsel Sigfrid Fortun criticized her for repeatedly preventing the defense, during the hearing last January 27, from asking questions supposedly meant to "highlight conflicting statements" of prosecution witness Mohammad Sangki. Sangki is a Sangguniang Bayan official in Datu Abdullah Sangki town in Maguindanao who said Ampatuan Jr. had carried out the massacre. But the prosecution camp had maintained Solis-Reyes' impartiality, and added she even has been "very strict." Asked to give a reaction on the junking, Fortun told GMANews.TV in a text message: "Sub judice. Can't comment." Despite the junking, several other motions remain unresolved, including the prosecution's motion to admit amended information, as well as the defense's motion to suspend the proceedings. The numerous unresolved motions had led to the indefinite suspension of the proceedings. Solis-Reyes has not yet set a date for the resumption of hearings. Another motion for inhibition against Judge Vivencio Baclig of the QC-RTC Branch 77 — hearing separate rebellion charges against the Ampatuans — was earlier junked. Both the prosecution and defense camps in the rebellion case are just awaiting Baclig's resolution of the joint motions for judicial determination of probable cause and deferment of transfer of detention. — Mark Merueñas/RSJ/KBK, GMANews.TV