SC orders bail hearing for Kuh Ledesma's ex-hubby

MANILA, Philippines - The Supreme Court has ordered the Manila Regional Trial Court to hear the petition for bail filed by Luisito Gonzalez, a former presidential grandson accused of murdering his stepbrother, businessman Federico Delgado. In an 18-page resolution, the SC’s First Division directed the Manila RTC to hear with dispatch the application for bail filed by Gonzalez and his driver, Antonio Buenaflor, following the dismissal of the charges by the Court of Appeals. Saying that it is not a trier of facts, the SC held that the venue for filing the application is in the court where the case was pending. Gonzalez and Buenaflor filed a motion at the SC seeking their immediate release from jail, after the lower court suspended its proceedings on the murder case to await for the outcome of the petition for review filed by the heirs of Delgado before the SC. "This Court is not in a position to grant bail to respondents as such grant requires evidentiary hearing that should be conducted by the trial court where the murder case is pending," the SC said. "We resolve to direct the RTC to hear immediately respondents’ application for bail, receive the evidence of the parties, and resolve the application without further delay." Gonzalez is the ex-husband of singer Kuh Ledesma and grandson of the late former President Elpidio Quirino. He allegedly killed Delgado, son of shipping magnate Francisco Delgado, on March 10, 2007, in Manila. Delgado’s girlfriend, Analisa Pesico, survived the attack and positively identified Gonzalez and Buenaflor as their assailants. In its ruling penned by Associate Justice Remedios Salazar-Fernando, the CA granted the motion for reconsideration filed by the accused seeking the reversal of March 18 decision penned by now retired Associate Justice Enrico Lanzanas. The CA likewise nullified the arrest warrants issued by the Manila court against Gonzalez and Buenaflor. - GMANews.TV