Pansamantala nang makakalaya ang dating broadcaster na si Jay Sonza nang maghain ng P10,000 piyansa kaugnay ng kinahaharap niyang kasong unlawful means of publication nitong Lunes, Mayo 4.
Sa isang social media post, ibinahagi ng kanyang abogado na si Atty. Mark Tolentino ang release order ng Regional Trial Court Branch 118 matapos ang pagpipiyansa.
Inatasan ng korte ang NBI Detention Facility na palayain si Sonza mula sa kustodiya nang maaresto kaugnay ng kasong isinampa sa ilalim ng Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
Kaugnay ito ng umano’y pagpapakalat ng fake news tungkol sa kalusugan ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Sinampahan si Sonza ng reklamong unlawful use of means of publication at unlawful utterances sa ilalim ng Article 154 of the Revised Penal Code, na inamyendahan ng Republic Act 10951, kaugnay sa Section 6 ng RA 10175 o Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
Sinabi ng NBI na ang warrant na inisyu ng Pasay City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 118 “indicates that the offense is not bailable.”
Iginiit naman ni Tolentino na ang warrant na inisyu ng Pasay RTC, tinukoy ang “Article 154 as amended by Republic Act No. 10591,” o Unlawful Use of Means of Publication and Unlawful Utterances.
Sa kabila nito, ang Republic Act No. 10591 ay Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.
Itinama naman ng Pasay RTC Branch 118 ang nauna nitong kautusan.
Ayon kay Atty. Mark Tolentino, tumayo ang presiding judge sa pagsisimula ng hearing upang humingi ng dispensa sa naging error ng korte. Dahil dito, nakulong umano ng limang araw ang isang inosenteng tao nang walang due process.
Ipinaliwanag din ng abogado na may umiiral na kautusan ang Department of Justice na nagbabawal sa pag-aresto para sa mga bailable offense tuwing weekend, gabi ng weekend, o holiday.
Nabatid na nagkaroon ng pagkakamali sa arrest warrant kung saan nakasaad na “non-bailable” ang kaso ni Sonza, gayong ito ay bailable.
“However, upon closer examination of the warrant of arrest that it issued where it stated that the offense is NOT BAILABLE, the Court rectifies the same and hereby fixes the amount of bail at Ten Thousand Pesos (Php 10,000.00) for the provisional liberty of the accused.”
“From the outset, we have maintained that the offense charged is bailable as a matter of right, and the Court’s latest action affirms this position. The prior issuance of a non-bailable warrant was legally erroneous and resulted in an unjustified deprivation of liberty,” ayon naman kay Tolentino.
“We are taking all necessary steps to ensure Mr. Sonza’s prompt release and will continue to pursue appropriate remedies in light of the irregularities in this case,” dagdag pa niya.
Sinabi ni Tolentino na pormal na humingi rin ng paumanhin ang korte sa naunang paglalabas ng warrant of arrest na nagsabing “non-bailable” ang kaso.
“The Honorable Court clarified that the offense is bailable as a matter of right, and that it had allegedly been waiting for the accused to post bail over the weekend,” ani Tolentino.
“In good faith, and in the interest of moving forward, Manong Jay Sonza and undersigned counsel humbly accept the apology of the Honorable Court, despite the fact that he was unjustly deprived of his liberty for five days,” dagdag pa niya.
Sa kabila ng insidente, sinabi ng kampo ni Sonza na wala silang planong magsampa ng kaso, dahil hindi umano korte ang kanilang kalaban.
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