Orate kin ask court to defer arraignment

MANILA, Philippines - The children of former lawmaker Nanette Castelo-Daza’s slain ex-lover, Noel Orate Sr., are asking a Quezon City court to set aside the arraignment of Daza’s son-in-law, citing a pending appeal to have the charge changed from homicide to murder.

Lawyer Eduardo Bringas, who represents Orate’s children, filed a motion for reconsideration before Judge Luis Zenon Maceren of Regional Trial Court Branch 218, claiming the court “hastily arraigned” Bulacan provincial board member Romeo Allan Robes two weeks ago despite their appeal before Justice Secretary Leila de Lima.

Robes is the husband of Quezon City Councilor Jessica Daza, daughter of the former congresswoman.

On April 23, Robes pleaded not guilty to homicide charges for the Feb. 10 killing of Orate, Daza’s estranged lover.

The Daza camp maintained what Robes did was self-defense, claiming that Orate held them hostage that night. The Orates said it could not have been an act of self-defense, claiming their father was summoned by Daza and Robes shot him five times.