THE judge handling the Maguindanao Massacre case is one of the nominees for associate justice of the Court of Appeals and the Sandiganbayan.
Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court, Branch 221, is aspiring for the position that will be vacant on Dec. 1 when Associate Justice Agnes R. Carpio of the Court of Appeals retires.
She is also aspiring for one of two posts that will be vacant when Sandiganbayan Associate Justices Napoleon Inoturan and Jose R. Hernandez retire.
Solis-Reyes aside, the other aspirants for the posts are Quezon City RTC Judge Angelene Mary V. Quimpo-Sale, Makati RTC Judge Selma P. Alaras, and Pasay City RTC Judge Eugenio Dela Cruz.
Solis-Reyes also applied and was shortlisted for a vacant Court of Appeals post last year.
Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno has appealed to Solis-Reyes to continue presiding over the Maguindanao massacre case.
“I told her Judge, don’t drop the case. Please, don’t,” Sereno said but added she could not blame Solis-Reyes for aspiring for a higher position.
“Her family is under watch. She has guards, even her children. It is not an easy life.”
Before Solis-Reyes, the case was raffled off to several judges but they inhibited from the case.
The Maguindanao Massacre case accounts for 58 victims and 195 accused, with 112 already arraigned. The trials are being attended by 12 prosecutors that comprise the third panel of Public Prosecutors, seven private prosecutors and 27 defense lawyers.
The transcripts of stenographic notes have reached 52 volumes, while the records of the cases are 114 volumes thick.
The high court has also issued special trial guidelines to speed up the reception of evidence while the hearings are continuing and being held three times weekly.
Solis-Reyes, who took over the case on Jan. 5, 2010, has already heard 223 witnesses: 131 prosecution witnesses, 34 defense witnesses and 58 private complainants as of August 2016.
