Caloocan court orders release of 72-year-old PISTON driver, companion

A Caloocan City court ordered the release of 72-year-old Elmer Cordero from prison on Tuesday afternoon.

Lawyer VJ Topacio posted the release order for Cordero from the Caloocan City Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 51. His camp posted bail worth P10,000 for an estafa case.

Caloocan City Police chief Police Colonel Dario Menor told GMA News Online that they would wait for the official copy of the court's order before releasing Cordero.

Four of the six drivers have been freed after each posted P3,000 bail on Monday. Police said Cordero and 43-year-old Wilson Ramilia were left in prison due to their pending cases.

Ramilia was also released on Tuesday, according to Topacio.

The lawyer told GMA News Online it was found out that a carnapping case against Ramilia had been dismissed years ago and that he had already served his sentence for another carnapping case that had been downgraded to qualified theft.

The PISTON drivers were arrested on June 2 for staging a protest as they were appealing that jeepneys should be allowed to resume operations amid the general community quarantine.

Topacio said the case against the drivers for simple disobedience to persons in authority will be heard by the court this month. —LDF, GMA News