Malacañang Palace said Tuesday that the 72-year-old jeepney driver who belonged to the “PISTON 6” must face charges filed against him “regardless of age.”
Elmer Cordero, 72, remained in jail after he was not allowed to post bail because of an existing estafa case filed against him in 2020 when he failed to pay his house rent.
Police arrested six jeepney drivers after protesting in Caloocan to urge the government to lift the ban of jeeps amid general community quarantine in Metro Manila.
“Dadaan po ‘yan sa proseso at dadaan po ‘yan sa piskalya. Kung wala pong ebidensya, madi-dismiss po ‘yung kaso,” Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said in a Palace press briefing.
(That would undergo due process, and it would be handled by the fiscal. If there’s no evidence, the case would be dismissed.)
“Tingnan po natin ‘yan kung may ebidensya,” he added.
(Let’s see if there is evidence.)
Roque, who is a known human rights lawyer, said old age does not exempt a person from pending charges.
“Titingnan po natin ‘yan kasi regardless of your age, kapag may pending case, kinakailangan harapin ‘yung kaso. Magkakaroon lang po ‘yan ng clemency if he is found guilty,” he said.
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(We’ll look into that because regardless of your age when there is a pending case, you need to face it. There can only be clemency if he is found guilty.)
“Mayroon tayong probisyon that the court can recommend pardon or parole to senior citizens,” he added.
(We have a provision that the court can recommend pardon or parole to senior citizens.)
Many criticized the government for the alleged “double standards” of justice in the country. In 2018, the court granted bail to former first lady Imelda Marcos due to her “ill health.”
According to Steve Ranjo, secretary-general of the National Association of Drivers and Operators Nationwide (PISTON), the protesters did not receive financial aid from the social welfare and labor department.
He also said the six drivers went with the police because they thought they could talk to Caloocan Mayor Oscar Malapitan when they were taken to the municipality.