“It is the right of every citizen to enter any courtroom and watch.”
This was the statement of Atty. Ferdinand Topacio after the Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecution filed a motion to bar him from attending or observing the hearing on the Degamo slay case—where former Negros Oriental Congressman Arnolfo Teves Jr. is being implicated—held at the Regional Trial Court at Manila City Hall on Friday, February 14, 2025.
Teves is believed by his constituents in Negros and other areas to be innocent and a victim of political persecution.
According to Topacio, he did not attend the hearing at RTC Branch 51, presided over by Hon. Merianthe Pacita Zurake, in his capacity as a lawyer but as a member of the public who is expressly allowed by the Constitution to observe any hearing. The court ultimately allowed Topacio to remain during the proceedings to avoid further arguments. Topacio emphasized that he did not attend the hearing because the judge permitted it but because it is a right granted to him by the Constitution.
The lawyer also stated that he would file a motion to lift the prohibition on public attendance, asserting that the restriction violates the Constitution and the rules of court, which provide that court hearings should be open to the public unless the case involves sensitive, obscene, or private testimony that requires protection.
Topacio also mentioned that Teves has a pending appeal regarding his extradition case and an application for political asylum, which is why he is being allowed to stay “legally” by the government of Timor-Leste.
