Oakwood judge to extend leave after surgery

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV’s coup d’ etat trial in relation to his participation in the Oakwood Hotel mutiny more than five years ago is expected to suffer unexpected delays in the next few months.

STAR sources said Makati City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 148 Presiding Judge Oscar Pimentel is likely to extend his leave of absence to two months after undergoing a surgery two weeks ago.

Pimentel has been handling the coup trial for nearly half a decade now since Trillanes and other leaders and members of the Magdalo Group staged an alleged uprising in July 2003 by occupying the Oakwood Hotel and demanding the resignation of key government, military, and police officials.

Sources said Pimentel went through a successful kidney operation at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan last month, but needs weeks or months to recover.

Pimentel’s absence is expected to affect the course of the trial considering that the defense is about to present a vital witness in the person of Sen. Gregorio Honasan II next month.

Makati City RTC Branch 147 Judge Ma. Cristina Cornejo is temporarily handling the case and has already presided over one hearing.

The defense is still presenting witnesses and evidence to refute those presented earlier by the prosecution.