Lawyer wants Ampatuan trial deferred for Ramadan

A defense lawyer in the Ampatuan multiple murder trial on Friday said he would move to temporarily suspend the hearings of both the criminal and administrative cases stemming from the November 23 massacre in Maguindanao, in time for the Islamic month of Ramadan. Two separate trials are currently being conducted in connection with the Maguindanao massacre: one for the criminal case being handled by a local court, and another for the administrative case — particularly for police personnel implicated in the crime — handled by the National Police Commission (Napolcom). Lawyer Tahir Lidasan said after Friday's hearing in Taguig City that he would file on Monday a motion to suspend the hearings for one month because most of his clients are Muslims. He wanted no hearings to be held from August 11 to September 11, to give way to his clients' one month of fasting for the Ramadan. The motion to suspend hearings would be filed before the sala of Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221, which is hearing the criminal case. Lidasan already made a verbal manifestation of his request before the Napolcom's ad hoc committee, which is hearing the administrative case against the 62 suspended police officers assigned in Maguindanao at the time of the massacre. In response, the Napolcom body said it was willing to suspend the administrative hearing only if the hearing of the criminal case would first be suspended. Lidasan said he and his defense colleagues had earlier made "oral manifestations" to Judge Solis-Reyes about the suspension, but he said their request was still "under consideration." Just the same, Lidasan expressed confidence that Solis-Reyes would grant his request, saying it was "customary" for courts to suspend hearings during Ramadan, "in respect of Muslims." "Kapag Ramadan, sila [judges] mismo, nag-uutos ng deferment ng hearings motu propio (During Ramadan, the judges themselves take the initiative to order a deferment of hearings)," Lidasan said. The Napolcom has already agreed to hold proceedings for the administrative case at its central office in Makati City, instead of Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.—Mark D. Merueñas/JV, GMANews.TV