Karapatan officer sues policeman, informant

CEBU, Philippines – A policeman and an alleged military informant in Negros Oriental were sued for damages and attorney’s fees worth P600,000 by the information officer of Karapatan-Central Visayas yesterday before the Regional Trial Court.

Karapatan public information officer Vimarie Arcilla filed charges against SPO1 Genaro Nodado of the Negros Provincial Police Office and a certain Catalino Ortega who is allegedly under the custody of the Philippine Army.

Arcilla said in her complaint that the two allegedly conspired to file a case for kidnapping and serious illegal detention against her last July 21, 2008.

The case was dismissed by the provincial prosecutor’s office in Negros for lack of probable cause.

The basis of the complaint was the affidavit executed by Ortega himself who claimed that he was kidnapped by Arcilla shortly after they met at the police station last July 2008.

Arcilla said she was in Negros for a fact-finding mission regarding a farmer who was reportedly abducted by the military.

She said that she went to the police station and sought Nodado’s assistance but Nodado refused to go with him to barangay Dobdob because it is under the jurisdiction of the 79th Infantry Battalion.

In the course of her mission she met Ortega who told her that he knew of the whereabouts of the farmer who was allegedly kidnapped. He allegedly offered to be a witness in the case and sought protection from Arcilla.

But when Arcilla went back to Cebu City, she was surprised to know that a case has been lodged against her by Ortega, with Nodado as the investigating officer.

Because of the unfaithful affidavit that was lodged against her, Arcilla sought damages and attorney’s fees against the two for causing her sleepless nights, serious anxiety and besmirching her reputation.

Arcilla asked for more than P600,000 in moral and exemplary damages and attorneys fees and a refund of her expenses in the filing of the lawsuit worth P66,000. — Jasmin R. Uy/BRP (THE FREEMAN)