A LAWYER who was detained after he was charged with serious illegal detention was arraigned as he lay on a stretcher at the parking area of Qimonda IT Center yesterday morning.
Lawyer Raul Sesbreño couldn’t sit, let alone stand and walk a little over a month after he was diagnosed with Pott’s disease or tuberculosis of the spine.
Judge Ma. Lynna Adviento of the Cebu City Regional Trial Court Branch 58 and her staffers had to go to the parking area to hear the Sesbreno’s plea.
Sesbreño wore a yellow prisoner’s shirt and a pair of black pants for his arraignment.
He pleaded “not guilty” to accusations of locking-up an eight-month-old baby and two 16-year-olds in his house in Talisay City in 2011.
Walking time bomb
Sesbreño, 75, was assisted by lawyer John Fernandez during the proceedings at around 10 a.m.
In an interview, Sesbreño said he’s asking the court to allow him to post bail due to his health condition.
Aside from Pott’s disease, he said he also suffers from irregular heartbeat.
“I’m just taking my chances here. I’m a walking time bomb. Anytime, I can be a victim of sudden heart attack. I need someone to take care of me 24 hours. As you see, I could barely move,” he said.
Sesbreño said Judge Adviento earlier granted his petition for bail.
Humanitarian considerations
But the prosecution filed a motion for reconsideration to contest the ruling. The pleading has yet to be resolved by the court.
While serious illegal detention is non-bailable, the constitution allows the accused to secure temporary liberty when the evidence of guilt against the accused is not strong.
Sesbreño said the Supreme Court, in its previous rulings, allowed the release of persons accused of non-bailable offenses for health and humanitarian considerations.
Sesbreño is detained at the Talisay City Jail after he was arrested inside the Palace of Justice on Aug. 13, 2013.
The charges against him stemmed from the complaint of three minors whom he allegedly detained inside a house in barangay Lawaan, Talisay City last Sept 7, 2011.
Inmates
The minors were released three hours later after their father along with police officers and representatives from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) arrived.
Sesbreño, whose wife was killed in an ambush in 2012, has repeatedly denied the allegations. While he’s still in jail, Sesbreño said some inmates volunteer to assist him.
“There are inmates who cook food for me, spoon-feed me, and even give me a bath,” he said. Five RTC judges handled the case against Sesbreño.
Four of them inhibited themselves from the case upon the request of the accused, while one judge let go of the case for lack of jurisdiction.