DAVAO. A file photo of Sulu bombing suspect Temogen Tulawie while detained in Davao City last 2012. He has been acquitted of the charges along with Abner Tahil and Juhan Alihuddin. (King Rodriguez)
Human rights activist Temogen "Cocoy" Tulawie, tagged in a bombing incident in Sulu in 2009, was acquitted by a court in Manila for lack of evidence.
Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 19 presiding Judge Marlo Magdoza found Tulawie not guilty, together with Johan Alihudin and Abner Tahir, during his promulgation on Monday, July 20.
Lawyer May Ann Arnado of the Mindanao People Caucus (MPC), one of Tulawie's legal counsels in Davao City, said "the prosecution was not able to establish evidence to prove the accused guilty."
With the trial running for almost a year, Arnado also said that the statement of the prosecution's star witness was illegitimate and was "rehearsed in order to single out Tulawie."
"It's a very long time how our justice system works. If you have the money, it's very dangerous especially for human rights defenders," she said. "But in the end, we were able to obtain justice. Justice will prevail."
She said Tulawie, who has been detained at the Manila City Jail for more than three years now, is set to go back to Davao City Tuesday, July 21.
It was previously reported that one of the main complainants against Tulawie was former Sulu governor Abdusakur Tan, who petitioned the Supreme Court to transfer the case trial venue from Davao City to Manila.
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/local-news/2015/07/20/human-rights-worker-accused-sulu-bombing-freed-420009
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