Couple sues cop for grave threats

CEBU - A public school teacher and her husband have filed a complaint for grave threats against their neighbor who is policeman in Minglanilla after he allegedly threatened to kill them several times.

Spouses Rodulfo and Maria Nonita Orbeta filed the complaint yesterday before the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office against SPO4 Abu Babiera after they failed to settle their differences at the barangay level.

The Orbeta couple alleged that Babiera threatened to kill them several times since they filed a complaint before the Minglanilla Police Station over his alleged defamatory and threatening words against them in October 2006.

The complainants said Babiera got mad when they have the incident recorded in the police blotter last March.

Last April 10, Babiera allegedly threatened to kill them for filing a case against him before the Regional Internal Affairs Service.

The new threat from Babiera prompted the couple to again report the incident to the police station and eventually filed a complaint before the provincial prosecutor’s office.

The complaint, however, was dismissed by the prosecutor last May for failure to comply with the conditions precedent for the referral of the complaint before the barangay.

The Orbeta couple said they filed the complaint before the barangay hall in Pakigne, Minglanilla for possible settlement.

However, they failed to settle their differences and instead received more threats from the suspect every time they are called for the mediation hearing.

The couple decided to re-file the case before the prosecutor’s office after they failed to reach an amicable settlement with the suspect at the barangay level. — Fred P. Languido/LPM (THE FREEMAN)