Politics · Philippines Bureau
Sandiganbayan allows Safe Spaces Act case withdrawal against Army officer
The anti-graft court has permitted prosecutors to withdraw a Safe Spaces Act complaint against an Army colonel, determining that a Regional Trial Court is the proper venue for the case. The Sandiganbayan's Third Division issued the ruling in a resolution made public this week.
LSN Philippines ·
MANILA — The Sandiganbayan has granted special prosecutors' motion to withdraw a Safe Spaces Act case filed against an Army colonel, ruling that the complaint should be redirected to a Regional Trial Court for proper jurisdiction. The anti-graft court's Third Division issued the resolution on October 21, with the decision posted online Friday.
The court determined that cases involving alleged violations of the Safe Spaces Act fall outside the Sandiganbayan's mandate and should instead be litigated in the lower court system. The resolution followed prosecutors' request to discontinue proceedings before the anti-graft tribunal.
The Safe Spaces Act, which criminalizes catcalling and street harassment, has been the subject of various legal proceedings since its enactment. The transfer of this particular case reflects ongoing clarification of jurisdictional boundaries between the Sandiganbayan and Regional Trial Courts in cases involving military personnel.
The colonel's identity and specific allegations in the withdrawn complaint were not detailed in the court's resolution. The case will now proceed through standard channels in the appropriate trial court.