Lawyer accuses Tom's son of harassing her daughter

CEBU, Philippines - Miguel Osmeña, 24, son of Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, has been accused of harassing a woman for allegedly failing to stop the former’s girlfriend from drinking too much.

Lawyer Sandra Smits, called up The Freeman yesterday and claimed that Miguel threatened to kill her daughter, Samantha Elise Diores Benitez, 20, who is the best friend of Miguel’s girlfriend, Ana Gabriela Beatriz Villegas, 20, early morning Monday.

Miguel and his parents left for Los Angeles Monday evening. 

Smits said that she informed Miguel’s mother, Margarita “Margot” Osmeña about the threat via a text message asking her to call the attention of her son, but said she got no reply.

This prompted her to report the matter to the Mabolo Police Station.

Smits alleged that the police were even reluctant to put the complaint in their blotter.

Benitez, in an interview, said Miguel got angry at her for allowing Villegas to get very drunk in a bar across University of San Carlos (USC) Main last Friday afternoon.

She admitted that she, Villegas and other friends decided to go for a drink at the said bar starting at 3 p.m. last Friday.

Benitez said that while she only had a few drinks, her friends, including Villegas, got very drunk.

Benitez alleged that Villegas went wild and even irked another friend for biting her arm.

She said that she left Villegas with their other friends around 6 p.m. as she had to console another friend, who got scolded by her brother, who saw them drinking.

At 8 p.m., she called one of her friends left at the bar and asked about Villegas, but was told that she was fetched by Miguel, so she did not bother to go back to the place.

Benitez learned later that Villegas was brought to Chong Hua Hospital for constantly vomiting and at 12 midnight she got a call from her best friend, who asked her why she was left alone at the bar.

Villegas told her that her parents were mad at her and she blames Benitez for not looking after her.

“She was not thinking clearly, why did I leave her daw so I told her na magstorya na lang ta tomorrow, just text me what time ka mumata ugma,” Benitez said.

Benitez said that she realized that her digital camera was missing from her bag and was told by one of those who accompanied Villegas to the hospital that it was in the latter’s bag.

Miguel told them that he will return the camera to Benitez himself.

On Saturday evening Miguel accordingly called her six times, but she did not answer after learning that the mayor’s son was very angry at her.

She alleged that she found the camera hanging on the gate of their residence inside Paradise Village last Monday dawn, but it had a bullet hole and was already unusable.

Benitez said that she discovered it after coming home from a party.

In the afternoon of same day, she said that she received a text message from somebody using a number not on her phone’s address book.

“The last time that has to happen Sam (nickname of Benitez), the bullet goes though your head,” she quoted the text message.

A few minutes later she said that there was another message, “The United States is a dangerous place”.

Benitez is about to return to the United States this October to continue her studies just like Miguel.

Her mother upon learning about the incident said she could not take the threats lightly.

She would have just wanted Margot to call Miguel’s attention, but she received no reply.

“All I really want right now is to at least talk with Margot about the safety of my daughter. That she is under control and Miguel is also under control, and not continue threatening my daughter,” Smits said.

She said that she would take legal action if necessary.

Mayor Osmeña said that the incident does not fit the profile of his son.

“Miguel has not picked a fight with anybody what more a young woman. I told Miguel not to get embroiled in any running argument with anyone,” Osmeña said.

He said he wanted him to graduate with honors this December from the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA).

The mayor said that the people don’t even know that Miguel graduated summa cumlaude from junior college.

“If there are any complaints against him, let them submit it in court. Let me make a declaration: If my son lays a finger on any woman, for any reason, I will immediately resign any official position I may hold,” Osmeña said.–/NLQ   (THE FREEMAN)