Chief Justice Puno frees 6 Abra inmates

By Maritess Benas

BANGUED, Abra – Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno released six prisoners at the Abra Provincial Jail during the launching of the Justice on Wheels in this capital town last April 16.

The Supreme Court conducted speedy trial of about 12 cases, five of which were dismissed outright, three mediated, and four up for mediation.

The SC justices conducted the hearings and carried out mediation that led to the resolution of the cases that were tried.

Aside from the speedy trial of the cases from the Regional Trial Courts Branch 1 and 2 in Bangued and RTC Bucay Branch, other activities were conducted like the symposium at the Divine Word College of Bangued gymnasium on law to include topics on criminal law, civil laws, and special laws like family welfare and indigenous laws.

The SC Justices likewise visited the Abra provincial jail to see the condition of the inmates there.

A dialogue was also conducted at the Provincial Capitol where Justices led by Puno entertained queries from their judges and staff in the local courts of Abra and Ilocos Sur.

They also listened to the public wherein the latter requested that the RTC building in Bangued be improved so pieces of evidence and records kept in the building would be safeguarded because resolution of cases depend on integrity of the evidences.

The RTC in Bangued was robbed a week prior to the coming of the Justice on Wheels of the Supreme Court to the province.

Another issue raised was the problem of many inmates who were over staying in the provincial jail due to the delay of the hearings of their cases.

Many of the inmates have remained in jail for three to nine years already since their cases have not progressed.

Trials, the public said, were postponed due to lack of lawyers to attend to the prosecution.

The cases in the Municipal Circuit Trial Court in Sallapadan town remained pending because of absence of a judge assigned in the place.

Because of the problem of too many pending cases in many of the MCTCs, Puno suggested to the MTC judges to rotate and conduct trials to resolve cases that have long been pending in other MCTCs in the province.