AFTER pleading not guilty, the so-called Mabinay 6 were transferred to Dumaguete City Jail for safety reasons.
The Mabinay 6 refers to the six suspected young communist rebels who were arrested for alleged illegal possession of firearms and explosives.
Myles Albasin, Carlo Ybañez, Ajomar Indico, Randel Hermino, Joel Baylosis, and Bernard Guillen were arraigned before Judge Rosario Santos Carriaga of the Regional Trial Court Branch 75 in Bais City on Wednesday afternoon, May 2. All pleaded not guilty to the charges.
In an interview, Negros Oriental director Edwin Portento said they did not contest the Mabinay 6's petition for transfer as they, too, agreed that Bais City Jail is not capable of taking in inmates with a high-profile case.
Bais City Jail is an hour away from the Negros Oriental Detention and Rehabilitation Center in Dumaguete City, where they were first detained.
The Mabinay 6's lawyer earlier filed a petition for transfer to avoid inconvenience on the part of the accused and their families, and to rule out fears of a possible ambush by the New People's Army in an attempt to rescue them during their transfer, considering that Bais City Jail is in the middle of a sugar cane plantation.
Portentos said Bais City Jail does not have enough jail persons and that the jail itself needs rehabilitation.
"Medyo malayo yung lugar niya (The place is a bit far) and in the middle of a sugar cane plantation, dilapidated na yung buildings pati yung fences (the buildings and the fences are dilapidated). Sa Dumaguete City BJMP mas okay, the facility is much better," Portentos said.
Portentos said the Mabinay 6 will remain detained in Dumaguete City until the court orders them otherwise.
It can be recalled that Mabinay 6 were arrested in an alleged shoot-out in the hinterland of Mabinay town on March 3, seizing four M-16 assault rifles with M-203 grenade launcher, and two M-4 assault rifles from them.
Results of the paraffin tests, however, revealed that all of the accused tested negative of powder burns.
Meanwhile, the case pre-trial has been set for July 11.
