Cop, 4 others cleared of robbery charges

CEBU – A policeman and four others accused of robbery with violence and intimidation by a Japanese citizen were exonerated from the complaint for lack of evidence.

Provincial prosecutor Pepita Jane Petralba dismissed the complaint against SPO3 Jose Dupay, Giselle Ann Arrabis Kikuchi, Edwin Arabis, Emil Arrabis and Roy Dupay upon the recommendation of assistant provincial prosecutor Nelia Sistoso who found no probable cause to indict the respondents.

Hideo Kikuchi accused them of robbery when they entered his house in sitio Laray, barangay Pitogo, Consolacion town, last May 28, and took cash and jewelry amounting to P518,000.

Kikuchi alleged that SPO3 Dupay, who is an uncle of his estranged wife Giselle, together with the other respondents, connived to commit the burglary.

Kikuchi said that it was the policeman together with Edwin, Emil and Roy who held him in the sala while Giselle took his safety deposit box where his cash and jewelry were kept.

Kikuchi said that he was even kicked by SPO3 Dupay and later hit with a car causing knee injuries and bruises.

Giselle denied the charges and said she and the other respondents went to Consolacion to get her 11-month-old daughter who was taken by the complainant from Daanbantayan without her knowledge.

Giselle said that Kikuchi refused to give her daughter and instead grabbed her hair and dragged her outside the room. She called for help and her uncle, who was outside the house, came to respond.

Sistoso, the investigating prosecutor, found the respondents’ account of the incident credible. In her recommendation, which was approved by Petralba, Sistoso said that there was no single element of the crime of robbery with violence and intimidation in the complaint.

“Clearly, this is a relationship that turned sour, love that vanished as time goes by for reasons only the complainant and respondent knew but it is so unfortunate that instead of letting each other go peacefully …now wanted to go one step further by putting the other behind bars on a mere allegation unsubstantiated and uncorroborated,” the prosecutor’s resolution read. — Fred P. Languido/BRP (THE FREEMAN)