Tolentino provides further proof that the Capas, Tarlac RTC has no jurisdiction in Alice Guo's case
September 11, 2024
Tolentino provides further proof that the Capas, Tarlac RTC has no jurisdiction in Alice Guo's case
Senate Majority Leader Francis 'Tol' Tolentino is standing firm in his position that only the Senate has a valid arrest warrant against former Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo.
At the plenary session of the Senate on Tuesday afternoon, Tolentino delivered a manifestation where he cited the transmittal sheet that was sent by the Office of the Ombudsman to the Executive Clerk of Court of the Third Judicial Region (RTC of Capas, Tarlac) when the Ombudsman filed the information for Guo's graft cases.
The transmittal sheet, dated August 29, 2024, and signed by Assistant Ombudsman Rex Reynaldo Sandoval, included a request to the Executive Clerk of Court "for appropriate action by the Honorable Executive / Presiding Judge in the immediate determination of the nearest judicial region pursuant to the Office of the Court Administrator (OCA) Circular No. 10-2024...and RA 10660 or an Act Strengthening Further the Functional and Structural Organization of the Sandiganbayan."
To recall, Tolentino had moved for the Senate to take custody of Guo during the Senate inquiry on Monday after arguing that the arrest warrant issued by RTC Branch 109 in Capas was in violation of RA 10660, since Guo held office in Bamban which is located in the same judicial region (Third Judicial Region).
Under Section 2 of RA 10660 on jurisdiction, "...the cases falling under the jurisdiction of the Regional Trial Court under this section shall be tried in a judicial region other than where the official holds office."
"Ibig sabihin po, Mr. President, wala pong jurisdiction. Sang-ayon po dito, wala pong jurisdiction yung Capas, Tarlac, at binibigyan po ng poder ang Executive Judge na pumili ng pinakamalapit na judicial region," Tolentino told his colleagues.
"I am stressing this, Mr. President, to highlight again that as of today, the Senate's warrant of arrest should be considered as the only valid warrant of arrest in existence today," he added.
In addition, Tolentino has sent an official letter to Senator Risa Hontiveros, Chairperson of the Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, to furnish the chair of the Senate inquiry with a copy of the said transmittal sheet.
In his letter, Tolentino told Hontiveros: "Despite the foregoing, the RTC Branch 109 of Capas, Tarlac assumed jurisdiction over the same [Guo's case] and issued an arrest warrant against former Mayor Alice Guo, which has raised questions regarding the jurisdiction and validity of the case filed against her."
Tolentino is a lawyer and law professor.
Tolentino, muling nanindigan na walang hurisdiksyon kay Guo ang RTC ng Capas, Tarlac
Matibay ang paninindigan ni Senate Majority Leader Francis 'Tol' Tolentino na tanging ang Senado ang kasalukuyang may wasto o 'valid' na arrest warrant laban kay dating Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo.
Nagtalumpati si Tolentino sa sesyon ng Senado noong Martes ng hapon, kung saan binanggit nito ang transmittal sheet na ipinadala ng Office of the Ombudsman sa Executive Clerk of Court ng Third Judicial Region (RTC ng Capas, Tarlac) noong isinumite ng una ang impormasyon para sa mga kasong graft ni Guo.
Nakasaad sa naturang transmittal sheet, na may petsang Agosto 29, 2024, at pirmado ni Assistant Ombudsman Rex Reynaldo Sandoval, ang kahilingan sa Executive Clerk of Court "for appropriate action by the Honorable Executive / Presiding Judge in the immediate determination of the nearest judicial region pursuant to the Office of the Court Administrator (OCA) Circular No. 10-2024...and RA 10660 or an Act Strengthening Further the Functional and Structural Organization of the Sandiganbayan."
Magugunita na nag-mosyon si Tolentino para akuin ng Senado ang kustodiya kay Guo, matapos niyang ipakita na taliwas sa RA 10660 ang arrest warrant na inisyu ng RTC Branch 109 sa Capas, Tarlac. Ito'y dahil nakapaloob din sa naturang judicial region ang bayan ng Bamban, kung saan nanungkulan bilang alkalde si Guo.
"Ibig sabihin po, Mr. President, wala pong jurisdiction. Sang-ayon po dito, wala pong jurisdiction yung Capas, Tarlac, at binibigyan po ng poder ang Executive Judge na pumili ng pinakamalapit na judicial region," ipinaliwanag ni Tolentino sa kanyang talumpati.
"I am stressing this, Mr. President, to highlight again that as of today, the Senate's warrant of arrest should be considered as the only valid warrant of arrest in existence today," dagdag pa nya.
(Nais kong idiin na tanging ang warrant of arrest ng Senado ang dapat ikonsidera bilang valid o wasto sa puntong ito.)
Sa ilalim ng Section 2 ng RA 10660 ukol sa hurisdiksyon, "...the cases falling under the jurisdiction of the Regional Trial Court under this section shall be tried in a judicial region other than where the official holds office."
Samantala, nagpadala na rin ng liham si Tolentino kay Senator Risa Hontiveros, Chairperson of the Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, para ibahagi sa huli ang naturang transmittal sheet.
Sa kanyang liham, binanggit ni Tolentino kay Hontiveros: "Despite the foregoing, the RTC Branch 109 of Capas, Tarlac assumed jurisdiction over the same [Guo's case] and issued an arrest warrant against former Mayor Alice Guo, which has raised questions regarding the jurisdiction and validity of the case filed against her."
(Sa kabila ng aking nabanggit, inako pa rin ng Branch 109 ng Capas, Tarlac ang hurisdiksyon kay Guo, at nag-isyu pa ng arrest warrant laban sa dating alkalde, kung kaya't lumabas ang mga tanong sa hurisdiksyon at kawastuan ng mga kasong isinampa sa kanya.)
Isang abogado at propesor ng batas si Tolentino.
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