Court grants P1M bail to rob suspect

CEBU, Philippines - Regional Trial Court Branch 19 Judge Wilfredo Navarro has granted the bail application of one of the accused in the botched robbery of a roving bank teller in Fuente Osmeña, Cebu City in 2011.

In his one-page order, Navarro said that despite the presentation of several witnesses for the prosecution, he still found the evidence against Rolien Castro wanting.

“This refers to the application of accused for bail, which is grounded on the fact that to this day, despite the presentation of several witnesses, the prosecution has failed to present any iota of evidence to warrant the conclusion or finding that he has conspired with the rest of the accused in the commission of the offense charged,” read the order.

Navarro set Castro’s bail at P1 million.

In a press statement, lawyer Rameses Villagonzalo said Castro and his family were happy with the development.

He said that as of the moment, Castro’s family is still raising the required bail through loans and selling or mortgaging of real properties.

Castro, along with Junjun Cabando and Cabando’s live-in Merlyn Laguita, were accused in the robbery attempt on an uptown mall roving bank teller on Sept. 5, 2011, which resulted to the death of two security guards and the wounding of the bank teller and two policemen.

Three robbers also died in the shootout with the policemen.

Castro, Cabando, and Laguita were charged with robbery with homicide and were all jailed without bail.

Navarro,  however, said that when Castro appealed to be granted bail, there was no opposition from Assistant Cebu City Prosecutor Aida Sanchez, who instead manifested that she would submit to the court’s discretion on the matter.

The court, though, has identified conditions that Castro must observe for his temporary liberty to continue.

Castro must report to the branch clerk of court on a monthly basis, preferably every 15th day of the month to ensure that he has not taken flight; and to undergo a drug test, the result of which shall be submitted within a 15 days from receipt of the order and to submit results from time to time whenever the court asks him to have a drug test.

He should also undergo a paraffin test whenever required by the court, and must obey the hold departure order the court would be issuing in a separate order. (FREEMAN)