MANILA: Three more accused in the Maguindanao massacre, including a police colonel, last Wednesday afternoon pleaded not guilty to multiple murder charges filed against them during their arraignment before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court.
The arraignment was held at the courtroom created by the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 221 under Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes inside the Quezon City Jail Annex of the Metro Manila District Jail at the Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.
Accused Police Superintendent Bahnarin Kamaong, Police Officer 1 Sandy Sabang and Theng Sali alias Abdullah Hamid entered their not guilty pleas when the charges against them were read by the clerk of court.
The arraignment of three more accused: Ahmidin Alameda, Dekson Sapatula and Norhato Camino did not push through as they remain in the custody of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in its regional office in Region XII.
Police proposes total gun ban during holidays
MANILA: Police will ask Congress to pass a law imposing a total gun ban during the Christmas and New Year holidays.
Superintendent Rogelio Simon of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Firearms and Explosives Management Division said a total gun ban during the holidays will prevent another death similar to the case of seven-year-old Stephanie Nicole Ella, who died after a stray bullet hit her in the head during the last New Year revelry. In the absence of a law, the PNP on its own may still enforce a total gun ban policy during the holidays, he added.
Simon said only police officers are presently prohibited from firing their firearms during the holidays.
“But what about those people who possess unlicensed firearms, they can still fire their guns, so we believe it would be better if total gun ban would be enforced at least on December 24 and 25 as well as December 31 and January 1,” he said.
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