After three years, a Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) has dismissed the cases of illegal possession of firearms and explosives filed against Reina Mae Nasino and two other political activists Alma Moran and Ram Bautista.
In a resolution dated July 17 and penned by Manila RTC Branch 47 presiding judge John Benedict Medina, the charges were dismissed due to "insufficiency of evidence".
According to Medina, the prosecution failed to prove that the accused are guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
"The court finds that the unmistakable conflicting testimonies of the prosecution witnesses generate serious doubt as to whether the firearms with ammunitions and explosives were really found in the rooms of the accused as they were not identified with sufficient particularity," he said.
"Therefore, the accused should be acquitted of the offenses charged," the Manila RTC 47 presiding judge added.
In December last year, Manila RTC Branch 47 granted the petition of the three activists to post bail.
Shortly after, Nasino, Moran, and Bautista were able to gain temporary freedom.
During the height of the pandemic in 2020, Nasino’s case became controversial after she was forced to be separated from her baby named River who died at barely six weeks old.
Her case even made public clamor after authorities deprived her to hold baby River even in her very last moment before she was laid to rest.
