Four Hong Kong men jailed in Philippines to apply to have same judge review their case, but supporters say intervention by Chinese and Hong Kong governments would be more effective
- Lawmaker James To says he does not have much hope Roline Ginez-Jabalde would reverse her decision and called on the central and Hong Kong governments to intervene
- Main area of contention for the jailed men’s families is the failure of Philippine police to find any drugs in the men’s bags when they were initially searched
The four Hong Kong men jailed for life in the Philippines on drug charges will apply to have the same judge review their case, a process that could take six months, the Hong Kong lawmaker assisting them said on Thursday.
But the lawmaker, James To Kun-sun of the Democratic Party, was frank that he did not have much hope the judge, Roline Ginez-Jabalde, would reverse her decision. If the review failed, the four would then appeal and take their case to a higher court, which could take another two years.
The best chance for the four men to walk free of the maximum-security New Bilibid Prison is for the Hong Kong and central governments to intervene and tell the Philippine government of the suspicion that Philippine police did not find any drugs during an initial search of the four men’s bags, To said.
A bag containing 467.8 grams of methamphetamine was only found in one of the convicted men’s bag in the second search, after the bag was taken out of their sight briefly during the raid by the Philippine police on board the fishing boat on which they were asked to sail, on July 11, 2016.
“To be honest, if our government and the central government do not express their concern to the highest level of the Philippine government, and if we are to rely only on the judicial system of the Philippines, I don’t have much hope in the coming review,” To said.
