Manila court defers Taguba’s bail petition hearing

A Manila court has deferred hearing the bail petition of Customs 'fixer' Mark Ruben Taguba II in connection with the P6.4-billion shabu shipment smuggled from China last year.

At a Friday hearing attended by Taguba and shipment consignee Eirene Tatad, prosecution and defense lawyers agreed to first wrap up the marking of evidence before proceeding with pre-trial and bail petition hearings.

Taguba and Tatad have earlier pleaded not guilty to charges of illegal drug importation, a criminal offense punishable by life imprisonment.

According to separate reports from GMA News and Super Radyo dzBB, the prosecution, represented by Assistant State Prosecutor Rodan Parrocha, said this would lead to the orderly presentation of evidence, something Taguba's lawyer, Raymond Fortun, agreed with.

Taguba's bid for temporary freedom would be decided based on the evidence presented by the prosecution, hence the importance of prioritizing the marking of evidence, Judge Rainelda Estacio-Montesa of the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 46 said.

Under the 1987 Constitution, bail is prohibited if the "evidence of guilt" is strong in alleged offenses punishable by reclusion perpetua.

The marking and ocular inspection of evidence is scheduled to last until June 6 and 14. If the marking is completed by the 14th, the pre-trial hearing would be held on June 20, and the bail hearing on June 27.

Meanwhile, the RTC judge ordered the prosecution to comment on Tatad's motion to fix bail, despite not yet deciding on whether or not the two accused will be allowed to pay for temporary liberty.

The judge also directed the prosecution to examine the condition of the drug samples used as evidence in a drug transportation case against the same people at a Valenzuela court.

The NBI was also tasked to provide two weighing scales and two forensic chemists to hasten the process of evidence marking. — Nicole-Anne C. Lagrimas/MDM, GMA News