Director Jade Castro. Image: Facebook/Jade Castro
Filmmaker Jade Castro and his three other companions were freed after more than a month of being detained for suspected arson.
Castro, civil engineers Noel Mariano and Dominic Ramos, and sales manager Ernesto Orcine were released from the Bureau of Jail Management Penology jail facility in Catanauan, Quezon, on Monday, March 11, after the court granted their motion to quash the charges.
Chel Diokno, human rights lawyer and one of Castro’s legal counsels, regarded the court decision as an “answered prayer.”
“Just learned from Jasper (Direk Jade Castro’s brother) that Jade, Ernesto, Noel, and Dominic are being released tonight. Overjoyed that they are finally regaining their freedom!” Diokno said through his X page on Monday.
Just learned from Jasper (Direk Jade Castro’s brother) that Jade, Ernesto, Noel, and Dominic are being released tonight. Overjoyed that they are finally regaining their freedom!
— Chel Diokno (@ChelDiokno) March 11, 2024
Answered Prayer 🙏 pic.twitter.com/UVw4WdEskX
— Chel Diokno (@ChelDiokno) March 11, 2024
Castro, Mariano, Ramos and Orcine were reportedly arrested by authorities without any warrant last Feb. 1, after being accused of burning down a modern passenger vehicle in Catanauan.
The allegations were based on the claims of witnesses who said the suspects wore bonnets prior to the incident.
Castro asserted their innocence and stressed that they were on a vacation in Mulanay town, which is around 40 minutes away from Catanauan where the incident happened.