Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — The Sandiganbayan on Tuesday (January 12) denied the separate motions of detained Sens. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada to visit the wake of showbiz personality German Moreno.
Moreno, more popularly known as “Kuya Germs,” passed away last Friday (January 8).
Revilla’s urgent motion filed Friday was denied as the court ruled that he does not deserve “exception to the general restrictions” on a detainee’s rights.
The prosecution handling Revilla’s pork scam cases on Tuesday morning said Moreno’s wake is not an extraordinary event that would warrant a furlough.
Prosecutors also said security might be an issue if the senator is allowed to attend since the wake is open to the public. The accused-movant countered by arguing that “the place for the necrological rites are confined spaces and, thus, relatively safe.”
The motion filed by Estrada, meanwhile, was likewise denied as the Fifth Division ruled that Estrada “cannot be accorded the full enjoyment of his civil or political rights as a necessary consequence of his detention.”
“To allow the accused-movant to leave his detention cell, especially at this time when the court already denied his petition for bail, will not only set a bad precedent but will likewise be regarded as a mockery of the administration of justice,” the ruling added.
The senators asked the court Monday to allow them to leave their place of detention for a few hours so they could visit Moreno’s wake at the Mt. Carmel Church in Quezon City.
