Judge junks contempt charge vs lawyer

MANILA, Philippines - A Quezon City judge handling the 2009 Maguindanao massacre trial has dismissed the contempt charge filed against one of the private prosecutors in the three-year multiple murder case.

In a four-page order, Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes of the Regional Trial Court Branch 221 said Prosecutor Nena Santos cannot be cited for contempt as the statements she made in an article published in The STAR on June 28, 2012 did not violate the sub judice rule.

The judge said only statements that tend to influence the court or obstruct the administration of justice may be made contemptuous. She noted that nothing in the statements made by Santos tend to influence the court or the trial proceedings.

In the article, Santos commented on the death of Alijol Ampatuan, whom she said was a possible witness in the massacre trial.

The camp of suspect Andal Ampatuan Jr. said the statements made by Santos portrayed them as responsible for the death of Alijol.

The judge said while the explanation of Santos disowning the statements was flimsy, the statements did not delve into the merits of the case and neither did the article give a hint or suggest who was responsible for the death of Alijol.

The judge reminded Santos to refrain from making unnecessary statements before the media that will delve into the merits of the case.