Sandra Cam acquitted of murder

MANILA, Philippines — A Manila court yesterday acquitted former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office board member Sandra Cam and her son  in connection with the killing of former Batuan, Masbate vice mayor Charlie Yuson III.

Judge Dinnah Aguila-Topacio of the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 42 dismissed the murder complaint for lack of evidence.

Buenaventura Miranda, lawyer for Cam, said they would wait for a copy of the court decision to release Cam from detention.

Cam is being held at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

Cam, her son Marco Martin and another co-accused Nelson Cambaya were acquitted by the court after finding no evidence that they perpetrated the killing.

However, the cases against their other co-accused Junel Gomez, Bradford Solis, Juanito de Luna and Rigor de la Cruz were sent to the archives as they remain at large.

Then Batuan vice mayor Yuson was eating in an eatery in Sampaloc, Manila on Oct. 10, 2019 when he was shot dead in what his family described as a politically motivated attack.

Marco Martin lost to Yuson’s son Charmax Jan for mayor of Batuan in 2019.

Charmax, who is serving another term, said they would appeal the court’s decision as he expressed dismay over Cam’s acquittal.