Common-law wife petitions court for hold order vs American hubby

A 31-year-old woman had asked the court for a hold departure order against her 48-year-old American common-law husband whom she accused of trying to kill her after she allegedly caught him with another woman.

Janet Andrino said it would not be impossible for Gregory Clark to leave the country after he was charged with violation of Republic Act 9262, or the Violence against Women and their Children’s Act.

Andrino had a separate civil case asking the court to order Clark to grant her monthly financial support and other fees. She also asked the court for the issuance of a temporary protection order, which would prohibit him from visiting her and their children.

Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 14 Judge Raphael Yraztorza is handling Andrino’s motion for the issuance of a hold departure order against Clark.

Andrino, a marine transportation degree holder, charged Clark of almost killing her when he beat her up in their house at Beverly Hills subdivision in barangay Lahug last May 8 evening.

Andrino said that, before that incident, she discovered some photographs in their digital camera allegedly showing Clark in a “compromising position” with another woman.

It prompted Andrino to confront Clark about it, but the foreigner got angry and quickly attacked her even if she was coddling their 2-year old son at the time.

The attack hit the child and caused her and their son to fall on the floor. Then their househelp quickly got the child out of harm’s way.

Andrino alleged that, while her frail body lay helpless on the floor, the 300-pound Clark twisted her arms, smashed her face on the floor, kicked her legs, and punched her back.

“Not satisfied, Clark sat on my stomach and with full force punched my face with his burly fists countless times,” the complainant said in her sworn statement.

She said that when she later stood up, Clark allegedly punched her again and this time hitting her chest that caused her to get slammed to the wall several feet away. Then he alleged kicked her side sending her to the floor for the second time.

Andrino’s counsel, Audie Arnado, said his client sustained bruises and other injuries in different parts of her body and was confined in the hospital for two weeks. This prompted her to ask the court to allow her to amend the case, against Clark, to frustrated murder.

Clark however put up immediate P6,000 bail and got temporary liberty pending the resolution of his case in court.

Arnado contended that Clark may soon take the easier option of leaving the country, with all the opportunity and freedom given to him, but this could be prevented if the court will issue immediately the hold departure order against the American.

The complainant said an officer of a call center company based at IT Park in barangay Apas where Clark has been employed as one of its managers, had divulged to her that Clark has been planning to leave the job and perhaps the country.  — Rene U. Borromeo/RAE