MindaNews » Actor Robin Padilla visits detained Tulawie, his “best friend in peace advocacy”.

By Carolyn O. Arguillas
March 7, 2012

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/06 March) — Movie actor Robin Padilla visited Tuesday afternoon detained human rights defender Temogen “Cocoy” Tulawie of Sulu to express his support for his “best friend sa advocacy ng kapayapaan” who, he asserted, could not have done what Sulu Governor Sakur Tan had accused him of doing.

The 41-year old Tulawie, whom Padilla also described as “Pag-asa ng Sulu” (Hope of Sulu),  is  facing charges of  multiple frustrated murder and multiple attempted murder for the May 13, 2009 bombing in Patikul, Sulu that injured 12 persons including the governor, an allegation he has repeatedly denied.

Citing threats to his life, Tulawie petitioned the Supreme Court for a transfer of venue of the hearings from the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 3 in Jolo, Sulu to Davao City. The high court granted the petition in June but the Sulu court took so long in forwarding the records to the Executive Judge of the RTC here.

Tulawie  was arrested here late evening of January 13 but no raffling of the case could be done by the RTCH in the absence of the court records from Sulu. The records finally arrived last week and the case is now under Judge Virginia Europa of RTC Branch 11.

Citing security considerations, Tulawie’s lawyers filed a motion in court Tuesday to commit him to the detention cell at the Investigation and Detective Management Branch at Camp Domingo Leonor where he has been detained since his arrest, instead of the city jail in Ma-a.

Governor Tan on January 25 petitioned the Supreme Court for a change in venue of the trial from Davao City to Manila. He said he considers Davao City “hostile ground,” claiming Tulawie  wields influence in the city.

Tulawie alleged Tan’s petition for change of venue was part of the governor’s “delaying tactics.”

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