CEBU, Philippines - Records of the multiple murder and frustrated murder cases filed in an Argao Regional Trial Court against former Highway Patrol Group-7 officials, whom authorities tagged as suspects in the ambush-slay of lawyer Noel Archival, have been forwarded to a Cebu City court.
This was after the Supreme Court Second Division directed the clerk of court of RTC Branch 26 in Argao to send all records of the case to the Office of the Clerk of Court in RTC Cebu City.
RTC Branch 26 complied last Wednesday and the cases are scheduled to be raffled on Monday.
In a penned notice, Deputy Division Clerk of Court Teresita Aquino-Tuazon granted the request of Cebu City Councilor Nestor Archival for the transfer of the hearing venue from Argao to Cebu City.
RTC Argao has the original jurisdiction of the cases since the killing of Noel, his driver Alejandro Jayme, and his bodyguard Candido Miñoza, happened in Barangay Corro, Dalaguete, Cebu.
But Nestor, through his lawyers Democrito Barcenas and Gloria Lastimosa-Dalawampu, asked the SC for the transfer of the venue due to the risk posed in going to Argao to attend the hearings.
“Note and grant the petition dated 22 October 2014 of Nestor D. Archival, City Councilor, Cebu City, requesting the transfer of venue of Crim. Case No. AR-5473 from Regional Trial Court (RTC), Branch 26, Argao, Cebu, to the RTC of Cebu City, Cebu,” read the SC notice. — Mylen P. Manto/RHM (FREEMAN)