Ombudsman files corruption case vs. Tacloban court judge

The Ombudsman has filed a corruption case against a local court judge in Tacloban City for granting petitions for bail of two suspected human traffickers.

The Ombudsman filed a case for violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act against Crisologo Sabod Bitas, former presiding judge of the Tacloban City Regional Trial Court Branch 7.

The case was filed at the Sandiganbayan on February 2.

The Ombudsman accused Bitas of "acting with evident bad faith, manifest partiality" in the granting of bail in favor of Danilo Miralles and Lynna Brito, who are both accused of qualified trafficking under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003.

The Ombudsman said Bitas granted the two suspects' petition bail "without a hearing."

It added that the alleged violation of two suspects are punishable by life imprisonment, "where bail is not a matter of right." —ALG, GMA News