Second sham inquest
Seeing that the concocted charge of inciting to sedition would eventually fall apart in any court of law, his captors once again conspired to clinch Beltran’s detention using another alibi, the detained solon says.
While under indefinite detention for the alleged crime of inciting to sedition, Beltran was subjected to another sudden sham inquest proceeding for the fabricated crime of rebellion on February 27 by DOJ prosecutors led by Velasco.
Beltran, who was then detained in solitary isolation at the PNP Custodial Center, was deliberately misled by his custodians into believing that he would be brought that morning to the PNP Hospital for a much-needed medical check-up. Instead, he was brought to the CIDG headquarters, where Prosecutor Velasco suddenly announced that they were conducting an inquest proceeding.
The DOJ panel and the PNP continued with the inquest even as Beltran and his lawyer Romeo Capulong denounced it as “sham, farcical, scripted and a mockery of our justice system” and blocked them as they attempt to walk out of the proceeedings.
In his complaint, Beltran reiterated that he was arrested “without benefit of a warrant for the alleged crime of inciting to sedition”, and not for the crime of rebellion, under which he is presently detained.
“The charge of rebellion against me was purely an afterthought by the PNP and the DOJ after realizing that the charge of inciting to sedition would not prosper and would not be sufficient to detain me for as long as they want,” Beltran asserts.
Lomibao’s complicity
Beltran also questioned Gen. Lomibao’s refusal to set him free him despite the release order issued by QC MTC Branch 43 Presiding Judge Evangeline Marigomen last March 13, 2006.
Marigomen ordered the PNP to release Beltran after the prosecution failed to “forward any valid counter-argument to counter (Beltran’s) parliamentary immunity from arrest”.
Beltran’s lawyers formally wrote to Lomibao upon receipt of the QC MTC’s release order, asserting that it be implemented immediately. Lomibao however, through Atty. Dulay Sr., replied that it could not enforce Beltran’s release “in the absence of any court order on the rebellion case”.
“Gen. Lomibao’s argument in refusing to release me is simply ridiculous, if not a sheer prostitution of our laws in the name of political persecution against the perceived enemies of the Arroyo government,” Beltran said.
Beltran ended his complaint with the prayer that the Ombudsman file the necessary information against the said respondents after due investigation. (Bulatlat.com)
