AMPATUAN TRIAL WATCH

THE COURT of Appeals affirmed the grant of bail to Sajid Islam Ampatuan, one of the primary suspects in the November 23, 2009 killing of 58 persons in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao.  Sajid Islam was released on bail in January 2015.

The 16th Division of CA in Manila denied last February 15, 2017 the petition for certiorari filed against Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes of Quezon City RTC Branch by the prosecutors in the Ampatuan Massacre case. The appellate court stated that Judge Solis-Reyes did not commit any grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction in the approving Sajid Islam’s bail petition.

Sun.Star Manila quoted the decision of the appellate court: “In the instant case, the Court finds that public respondent did not act in a whimsical, arbitrary and capricious manner when she granted private respondent’s motion for bail.”

Judge Solis-Reyes granted the bail petition of Sajid Islam after finding no evidence showing that the latter played an active role in the November 2009 meeting during which the blockade and murders were planned.

Forty-two bail petitions were granted by the QC court in 2015. However, only Sajid Islam was able to pay the bail bond of PHP11.6 million (approximately USD258,266 in January 2015) or PHP200,000 (USD4,453) for each count of murder. (See: http://cmfr-phil.org/ampatuanwatch/case-updates/court-grants-bail-petition-of-accused-in-2009-massacre/)