Leviste arraignment on evasion raps set today

MANILA, Philippines - Former Batangas governor and homicide convict Antonio Leviste is scheduled to be arraigned today on charges of evasion of sentence for slipping out of the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP) in Muntinlupa City last month.

Charges of violation of Article 157 of the Revised Penal Code will be read to the former governor and his driver, Nilo Solis, who was charged as his accomplice, at the NBP court at 1:30 p.m., said Delia Dellona of the prison’s subpoena section.

In a separate phone interview, however, Perlita Ordinario, clerk of court of Makati Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 66, said based on their schedule, the hearing, which will be presided by Judge Josefino Subiano, will start at 2 p.m.

Leviste, who was sentenced to serve six to 12 years for killing his aide Rafael de las Alas in 2007, was arrested at the LPL Building in Makati City by National Bureau of Investigation agents. 

Leviste claimed that intolerable pain caused by his toothache forced him to leave the compound without official authorization.