September 19, 2012 News: The Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Davao City will have to forward the cases filed against bomb suspect Temogen Tulawie to RTC-Manila after the Supreme Court (SC) granted the petition filed by Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan requesting the transfer of venue for the case trial.

Tulawie is accused as behind the May 2009 roadside bombing on the convoy of Sulu Governor Sakur Tan in Patikul town. Tan survived the assassination attempt, but he and a town mayor, Hatta Berto, of Pandami, and nine others were injured in the attack.

A source told Luwaran that when Tulawie was apprised of the latest decision of the Supreme Court commented that he is not worried, “It is a delaying tactic” (of Governor Tan).

Tulawie earlier said he is amenable with the petition of Tan to transfer venue as he will abide it if ever the SC would grant it.

Tan told reporters that he sought the transfer of the venue of the case to Manila “to bring the legal war to a neutral ground."

Tan, in his petition, said it is his turn to ask the SC to reassign the venue of the trial due to respondent's "influence" in Davao City.

He cited Tulawie's influence on two Davao City-based non-government organizations, the Mindanao Peoples Caucus and the International Solidarity Conference.

Tan also claimed he would have a difficulty in going to Davao City since there are no daily flights at present from Zamboanga City. "This would affect public service," Tan stressed.

Tulawie, or popularly known as “Cocoy”, is a political enemy of Governor Tan, because he ran for the gubernatorial post in Sulu against Tan in 2001.

Meanwhile, the Free Cocoy Tulawie Movement was scheduled to conduct an interfaith prayer vigil around 6:30 p.m. at the Hall of Justice on today.

The group, in a statement, said the prayer vigil will "seek for Divine Intervention over the case."

"The Islam, Catholic and Evangelical Believers are to gather together, light a candle and offer a prayer for the liberty of Cocoy Tulawie," the group said.

"We also ask for the inner strength and courage for Cocoy Tulawie for him to be able to endure more of this suffering. We also pray for the courage for the Tulawie family to inflame further their hope that their father will come back to them anytime soon," the group added.

They said the ecumenical prayer vigil also aims to manifest the "solidarity and mutual respect" of the Islam and Christian Faith in Davao City.