Charges against Madridejos mayor's brother dismissed

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office has dismissed the criminal complaints for grave coercion, grave threats and disobedience to a person in authority that the vice mayor of Madridejos town has filed against the brother of the mayor and his aide for lack of probable cause.

Provincial Prosecutor Pepita Jane Petralba approved the dismissal of the complaints filed by Vice Mayor Doroteo Salazar against Ramon dela Fuente and Joel Enriquez following the complainant’s failure to present convincing evidence during the investigation.

Salazar accused Dela Fuente and Enriquez, brother and aide of Madridejos Mayor Salvador Dela Fuente, respectively, of grave coercion, grave threats and disobedience to a person in authority when he and his companion were allegedly harassed by the respondents last March.

Salazar said the respondents harassed him and his aide while they were on their way to attend the municipal council sessions last March to deliberate the town’s annual budget.

On March 2, while he was on his way to the session hall for their regular session together with three of his employees from the Salazar College of Science and Institute of Technology, they were allegedly accosted by the respondents.

According to Salazar, his employees Alberto Milan, Pedro Maru Jr. and Arnel Gidayawan were bodily searched by Enriquez upon the supervision of Dela Fuente.

Salazar said they protested but were threatened by the respondents who were allegedly armed during the incident.

But investigating prosecutor Joseph Berciles said the complainant failed to present convincing evidence to support probable cause. Berciles said that the complainant did not allege the threatening and intimidating words that the respondents used.

It was also not shown in the police blotter that Enriquez tried to use his gun to intimidate the complainant.

“It is imperative that clear and convincing evidence should be presented before this office,” Berciles ruled. — Fred P. Languido/BRP   (THE FREEMAN)