Court of Appeals orders PNP: Produce Isnajis

The Court of Appeals (CA) has granted a petition seeking the release of Indanan, Sulu Mayor Alvarez Isnaji and his son Haider who had been implicated in the kidnapping of broadcast journalist Ces Oreña Drilon and her crew in June last year.

The CA’s 6th Division has issued a writ of habeas corpus ordering the Philippine National Police (PNP) to produce father and son and justify their continued detention at a hearing on Jan. 27, said lawyer Jose Aspiras, legal counsel of the Isnajis.

The order was addressed to Superintendent Cesar Magsino, acting chief of the PNP Custodial Center that has custody of the Isnajis, and Branch 4 of Jolo, Sulu regional trial court where the case against them was filed on July 22 last year.

In a petition that the Supreme Court referred to the CA, the Isnajis said their right to speedy trial was violated when they have yet to be arraigned on the kidnapping charges.

Aspiras said the lower court also had not issued a commitment order against the Isnajis even after its judicial determination of probable cause to indict them.