CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews / 17 Aug) – The Regional Trial Court here on Wednesday released a jailed National Democratic Front consultant even without payment of the P100,000 bail money.
Judge Florencia Abbu, of the Regional Trial Court Branch 17, ordered the temporary release of Alfredo Mapano also known as “Ka Paris” sans the bail money so he can attend the meeting between the government and the NDF in Oslo, Norway on August 20.
Mapano’s counsel, lawyer Francisco del Castillo, said Abbu decided to grant the order after consulting with the Supreme Court on the matter of bail money.
Abbu had earlier wanted Mapano to pay the bail for the robbery with homicide case he is facing in her court aside from the bail money he earlier paid to other courts in Malaybalay City where he faces eleven counts of murder, frustrated murder and carnapping cases.
Del Castillo said Mapano will spend Wednesday night with his family at the residence of Archbishop Antonio Ledesma in Cagayan de Oro City.
He said Mapano will fly for Manila on Thursday to get his safe conduct pass, passports and other documents so he can travel to Oslo.
Under the terms of conditions of the release, Mapano’s temporary liberty will be rescinded after the peace talks will end.
Mapano is one of the 14 NDF consultants sought by the rebels to be released so he can help in the peace process.
He is considered to be an expert on political and constitutional reforms and how to implement the ceasefire in the Reciprocal Working Group.
Mapano, the former head of the Communist Party in Northern Mindanao, was arrested while visiting his wife and three children in Cagayan de Oro on August 1, 2009.
(Froilan Gallardo / MindaNews)