Roque urges De Lima to shield prosecutors from politics
By Benjamin B. Pulta 03/24/2011Rights activist Harry Roque said government prosecutors should be shielded from politics in pursuing the murder cases arising from the killing of more than 50 individuals in Maguindanao in 2009.
Roque said he was disappointed that Justice Secretary Leila de Lima did not consult them when she replaced the panel then led by Assistant Chief State Prosecutor Richard Anthony Fadullon after she sided with her classmate in San Beda College of Law (Santos).
“I wouldn’t be surprised. I’m sure it would greatly affect the case,” Roque said as he explained that the new prosecution panel is not yet familiar with the case. “The state prosecutors should maintain their independence from the private prosecutors,” he added.
Following a rift between the original prosecution panel with lawyer Nena Santos, who represents Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu, another member of the prosecution panel of the Department of Justice (DoJ) panel prosecuting some members of the influential Ampatuan clan resigned from the panel..... MORE
Source: The Daily Tribune
URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20110324nat1.html
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