(Eagle News) — The camp of former President Benigno Aquino III will “discuss ways forward” following the Supreme Court’s order to temporarily halt proceedings in connection with the cases filed against him because of the botched Mamasapano operation in 2015.
In an interview with CNN Philippines on Friday, Abigail Valte, Aquino’s spokesperson, said this was because “at this point, we can’t really tell (if the order is a positive development).”
Earlier, Aquino asked the Sandiganbayan to halt the proceedings–including his arraignment—for graft and usurpation of authority in connection with the Mamasapano incident pending resolution of his motion to dismiss.
But in issuing the temporary restraining order on the proceedings, the SC ruled in favor of a petition filed by the kin of members of the Special Action Force who were killed during the operation and who want reckless imprudence resulting in homicide charges to be filed against Aquino, former Philippine National Police Alan Purisima and former SAF chief Getulio Napenas instead.
“The lawyers of the former president and PNoy himself will be ready to lay out his case if and when instructed to do so,” Valte said.
In the order released on Friday, the first division of the SC also stopped the implementation of the Ombudsman resolution that junked the filing of a complaint for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide against Aquino, Napenas and Purisima.
Prior to the TRO, Aquino, Napenas and Purisima were slated to be arraigned for graft and usurpation authority on February 15.