(Eagle News) — Former President Benigno Aquino III was a no-show in his arraignment over the cases filed against him in connection with the Mamasapano incident in 2015, on Friday.
Aquino’s lawyer, Romeo Fernandez, told reporters that he advised his client not to attend, since they were told about the hearing on his client’s motion on short notice.
Fernandez was referring to the former president’s motion seeking to dismiss the cases for graft and usurpation of authority against him.
Fernandez said the Fourth Division re-scheduled his client’s arraignment to February 15, pending the resolution of that motion.
Forty-four Special Action Force members and several others were killed in the botched operation against terrorist Zulkifli Abdhir, alias Marwan.
Aquino has said he relied merely on the information provided to him by security officials.
Aquino’s co-accused are former Philippine National Police chief Alan Purisima and former SAF director Getulio Napenas.