Dumpit case hearing reset to April 2006

Yesterday's scheduled hearing of the frustrated homicide case against policeman Adonis Dumpit was cancelled and reset until April 7, 2006.

This was due to the tight schedule of the judges, including the one handling the Dumpit case, who are also in Lapu-Lapu City for a conference with government prosecutors.

The hearing of the Dumpit case was supposed to take place yesterday at Regional Trial Court-branch 22 with Judge Bienvenido Saniel.

Saniel is the presiding judge of RTC-branch 20 but he was assigned as the pairing judge to handle temporarily the pending cases in RTC-branch 22, which was left vacant with the retirement of Judge Pampio Abarintos.

Saniel's staff said the hearing of the Dumpit case could not be accommodated in the earlier part of next year due to several other cases already listed ahead.

Dumpit, who is currently serving a one year suspension from service, is facing frustrated homicide charges for allegedly shooting and wounding two civilians, Wilson Borja and Rolando Mejarito, at the port area last year.

Borja and Mejarito claimed they were walking at the port area when suddenly they were stopped by a man who shot them without any provocation. They later identified the man as Dumpit.

Borja was hit at the back of his head, while Mejarito was wounded in the abdomen. Dumpit, however, denied shooting the two. - Rene U. Borromeo