Torres pleads not guilty to two cases

Suspected robber Ruel "Rey" Torres yesterday pleaded not guilty to the robbery and frustrated murder cases filed against him.

This prompted Regional Trial Court judge Ramon Codilla to immediately schedule the trial of the two separate cases within this month.

Torres was among those accused of robbing Vilmor Candiza of P150,700 in payroll money along Archbishop Reyes Avenue last September 15 and wounding Imelda Maghanoy in Cebu Business Park last October 22 after she refused to part with her money.

Torres, 35, who lost a leg after he was wounded during his capture in Zamboanga del Sur last month, said he did not rob Candiza.

But Torres and Roldan Rodriquez were both arrested at the reclamation area by the policemen who responded to Candiza's robbery.

Candiza said Torres and Rodriguez tailed him on a motorcycle from Banilad where he withdrew the money from a bank and robbed him when they reached near the overpass along Archbishop Reyes Avenue.

During their arrest, the police recovered a .45 cal. pistol with six bullets and the payroll money from Rodriguez.

Torres and Rodriguez posted a P35,000 bail bond each for their temporary liberty, but never showed up again before the court for the arraignment of their case.

Torres appeared before the court yesterday for the arraignment of the frustrated murder case in connection with Maghanoy's shooting, but Codilla remembered that Torres has a pending case for robbery at his sala and allowed him to be arraigned for that case as well.

"Ako na lang gipahimuslan kay hasol na usab niya nga magbalik-balik diri sa korte para sa arraignment nga usa na lay iyang tiil," he said.

Torres, a native of Ramon Magsaysay, Zamboanga del Sur, is also facing other criminal cases in other court branches. - Rene U. Borromeo