2 aktibista absuwelto sa kasong illegal possession of firearms

DALAWANG aktibista ang pinawalang-sala ng korte sa kasong illegal possession of firearms and explosives dahil hindi napatunayan ng mga awtoridad na sila ang nagmamay-ari ng mga nakumpiskang armas.

Kinilala ang dalawang aktibista na sina Cora Agovida at Michael Bartolome.

“The prosecution has failed beyond reasonable doubt Bartolome and Agovida’s ownership or possession of the firearms, ammunition, and explosives and their lack of license to own or possess them. Thus, it failed to overcome the presumption of innocence which the accused enjoyed. The Court is thus constrained to render a judgment of acquittal,” saad sa 13-pahinang desisyon ng Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 19.

Sina Agovida at Bartolome ay inaresto noong 2019 sa bisa ng search warrant, kung saan nakumpiska sa kanilang apartment ang dalawang pistol, mga bala, at isang granada.

Gayunman, sa pagdinig ng kaso ay hindi magtugma ang testimonya ng mga pulis na nang-raid sa apartment ng dalawang aktibista.

“The accused have been insistent in their claim that the evidence against them was planted particularly between the time the SWAT entered the room and the arrival of the second group of policemen. The possibility of said claim was evident from the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses themselves,” saad ng korte.