Court denies motion for reconsideration, Veloso to continue murder trial vs Dumpit

CEBU, Philippines - Regional Trial Court Branch 6 Judge Ester Veloso will continue handling the murder case against controversial police officer Adonis Dumpit as she finds no valid grounds to inhibit herself from the case.

Veloso denied Dumpit’s motion for reconsideration on her earlier dismissal of the motion seeking for her inhibition for alleged partiality. In a four-page order dated June 28, Veloso said she does not find any valid reason to reconsider her ruling.

“The court sees no justifiable and cogent ground to reconsider the said order and stands by the ruling set forth in the questioned order,” Veloso ruled.

According to Veloso, the arguments of Dumpit were already tackled in his original motion for inhibition. Dumpit through his lawyers Benjamin Militar and Pedro Leslie Salva cited alleged inconsistencies and doubtful testimonies of eyewitnesses.

He also alleged that Veloso has shown partiality against him by having all his motions denied, including his attempt to post bail.

Private complainant Janeth Badana through private prosecutor Rizalina Zozobrado has opposed Dumpit’s motion for reconsideration. According to Badana, Dumpit’s arguments were all rehash of all his previous motions that were already denied by the court for lack of merit.

“The accused has repeatedly questioned the proprietary of the rulings of the court. Mere suspicion of partiality is not enough. There should be hard evidence to prove it,” Badana’s opposition reads.

Badana, mother of suspected robber Ronron Go whom Dumpit has killed several years ago in Barangay Villagonzalo II, said there has been no error in the ruling and orders of the court. She said the rulings of the court were products of a thorough discussion.  (FREEMAN)