Two Quezon City regional trial courts have dismissed the illegal recruitment cases filed against former broadcaster Jay Sonza.
Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 100 Presiding Judge Editha Mina-Aguba signed on Thursday, Aug. 17, an order dismissing the syndicated and large-scale illegal recruitment charges against Sonza after the private complainants failed to appear at the hearings.
"Upon motion of accused, without objection on the part of the people, considering that with the non-appearance of private complainants, the guilt of accused could not be proven beyond reasonable doubt, the instant case is hereby dismissed provisionally with the express consent and conformity of accused," the QC RTC Branch 100 order stated.
The court also ordered the release of Sonza from the Quezon City Jail Male Dormitory Quarantine Facility, where he was placed under a 14-day quarantine, "unless held for some lawful other cause/s."
Meanwhile, the QC RTC Branch 215 also confirmed that the illegal recruitment case against Sonza was also provisionally dismissed after the private complainants failed to coordinate/appear during the hearings.
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) earlier announced that the former broadcaster was nabbed at the Ninoy Aquino Internatonal Airport last July 18, after he presented himself for immigration inspection for his travel to Hongkong.
He was arrested for several charges, including estafa (11 counts), libel, illegal recruitment, and syndicated and large-scale illegal recruitment.
He was turned over by the NBI to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) on Aug. 3 and was brought to the Quezon City Jail-Ligtas Covid Center Quarantine Facility in Barangay Payatas
BJMP spokesperson Jayrex Bustinera confirmed that Sonza is still under the custody of the Quezon City Jail-Ligtas Covid-19 Center Quarantine Facility.
He added that they are still verifying if the estafa case (11 counts) against Sonza is still pending in QC RTC Branch 100.
He also said that Sonza's libel case is still pending in QC RTC Branch 77, with a recommended bail of P10,000.