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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Metro Manila devider Manila RTC acquits human rights activist Nasino, 2 others

Manila RTC acquits human rights activist Nasino, 2 others

Published Jul 29, 2023 07:46 am
The Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) acquitted Reina Mae Nasino and her fellow human rights activists Alma Moran and Ram Carlo Bautista of charges that were filed against them in 2019, the National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL) announced on Friday, July 28. Photo from NUPL Facebook page/MANILA BULLETIN
Photo from NUPL Facebook page/MANILA BULLETIN
The 16-page resolution was signed last July 17 by Judge John Benedict D. Medina in Manila RTC- Branch 47. "The Court finds that the unmistakable conflicting testimonies of the prosecution witnesses generate serious doubt as to whether the firearms, ammunition, and explosives were really found in the rooms of the accused as they were not identified with sufficient particularity,” the resolution read. “The Constitutional presumption of innocence of the accused has not been demolished for failure of the prosecution in proving their guilt of illegal possession of firearms, ammunitions and explosives, beyond reasonable doubt,” it added. According to Medina, there were inconsistencies in the testimonies of the witnesses. "One testified that the two searches were done at the second floor, while the others maintained at the third," Medina said. The witnesses contradictory testimonies undermined all efforts to reconstruct the available evidence that can be useful as proof of prosecution evidence in the case. Nasino, Moran, and Bautista were arrested last November 2019 in Tondo, Manila for charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives filed for alleged possessing a MK2 fragmentation hand grenade, a .45 caliber pistol with eight pieces of live ammunition, one M16 rifle with 23 pieces of live ammunition, an extra magazine with 22 pieces of live ammunition, one .45 Colt with eight pieces of live ammunition. Nasino’s case became controversial because she was pregnant during the arrest. She gave birth to a baby girl named “River” in 2020 while she was in detention  at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Her baby reportedly died after a few months.

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