Shabu 11 hearing cancelled: Judge to settle Tan's motion for her inhibition

The hearing of the case against the alleged financier of the busted shabu laboratory in Mandaue City and his co-accused was cancelled to give way for the resolution of the defense motion asking Judge Marilyn Yap to inhibit from hearing the case.

Yap said she would resolve first the motion filed by Calvin Tan, through his lawyer, William de los Santos, for her to inhibit the case. The hearing of the motion is set for tomorrow.

Yap also cancelled the hearing of the case originally scheduled for today and tomorrow.

De los Santos filed a motion for reconsideration on Yap's order on March 31 denying Tan's petition for bail.

According to De los Santos, Yap had already "prejudged the guilt of the crime" of his client when she denied their petition for bail.

Lawyer Hector Fernandez and some counsels of the other accused expressed support to the motion of Delos Santos for Yap to inhibit the case.

But lawyers Haide Acuña and Manolito Seno, who represent Andy Ng and Richard Ong, said they opposed to the cancellation of the hearing and to the move for Yap to inhibit the case.

Both Seno and Acuña said they are afraid that the cancellation of the hearing may affect and delay the resolution of the case.

But De los Santos said that the court gravely and seriously erred in finding Tan as the financier of the shabu laboratories in barangays Umapad and Paknaan. - Jose P. Sollano