Murder case vs. Dumpit now with family court

CEBU, Philippines – The murder case against controversial policeman SPO1 Adonis Dumpit was re-raffled yesterday to a family court following Regional Trial Court judge Generosa Labra’s begging off from trying the case after she discovered that the victim was a minor.

The case is now with RTC Branch 20 presided by judge Bienvenido Saniel. Branch 20 is among the four branches in Cebu City designated by the Supreme Court as family courts, the other branches are 6, 22 and 24.

The Freeman learned that only Branches 6 and 20 participated in the raffle of the case against Dumpit because the two other branches have been exempted from receiving newly filed cases to even out the number of cases raffled off to the other two branches designated as family courts.

Saniel is expected to act on the motion of Dumpit to have the case against him reinvestigated by the Office of the Ombudsman for the Military claiming he was not given due process. He also prayed for the holding in abeyance of the issuance of the warrant of arrest against him.

The case was first raffled off to Branch 23 but presiding judge Labra ordered the return of the case to the office of the clerk of court for re-raffling citing that the victim was a minor.

In an order last week, Labra said she found out that suspected robber Ronron Go, whom Dumpit allegedly summarily executed five years ago, was still minor when he allegedly committed the crime and therefore the case should be tried in a family court.

The Office of the Ombudsman for the military earlier indicted Dumpit after finding probable cause that he intentionally shot and killed Go last Dec. 14, 2004 in barangay Tejero during a follow-up operation to a jeepney robbery at the North Reclamation Area.

Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez approved the resolution and endorsed the case records to the RTC criminal division.

Dumpit moved for the reinvestigation of the case questioning the lack of due process by the anti-graft office. He said he was not afforded his right to due process by the Ombudsman before he was charged in court, thus resulting to his present indictment. – Fred P. Languido/BRP (THE FREEMAN)