Court orders release of witness to alleged Davao jail murder

Manila: A Muntinlupa court has ordered the release of Jimmy Fortaleza, an inmate-witness in the August 2016 execution of three Chinese drug lords inside the Davao Penal Colony which is currently being investigated by Congress. In a statement Friday, Bureau of Corrections Director General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. said Fortaleza was ordered released after the court granted his petition for habeas corpus. In a 14-page decision dated Sept. 23 by presiding judge Gener Gito of the Regional Trial Court Branch 206 of Muntinlupa, the court granted Fortaleza's petition for habeas corpus with prayer for computation of special time allowance for loyalty (STAL). The court said that by applying the two STALs, Fortaleza is entitled to a reduction of his sentence of 32 years. The court said that based on a computation of his records, Fortaleza has already served 10,748 days of imprisonment, or a total of 29 years, 5 months and 13 days. Thus, he has fully served his sentence. The court also directed the corrections offi cer to immediately release Fortaleza and to report to the court within five days of the date and time the inmate was released. "Since we already received the requested authenticated copy of the resolution of the Management, Screening, and Evaluation Committee from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, there is no reason for Fortaleza to remain in our custody," Catapang said. Fortaleza served a prison term for three counts of murder and arbitrary detention. Former Davao Prison and Penal Farm (DPPF) warden Supt. Gerardo Padilla earlier admitted before a House quad committee hearing that he had a conversation with then-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group officer Royina Garma regarding the murder of three suspected Chinese drug lords Chu Kin Tung, Li Lan Yan and Wong Meng Pin. He recalled that sometime between 2015 and 2016, when he was acting superintendent of the DPPF, Garma called him up using the mobile phone of inmate Fortaleza and instructed him not to interfere with an operation about to t ake place inside the facility. Source: Philippines News Agency