Estafa case vs. Cabillon dismissed

CEBU, Philippines - The provincial prosecutor’s office has dismissed one of the two estafa cases filed against former monk Venancio Cabillon.

In a resolution, the prosecutors said Cabillon cannot be held liable for estafa because the money and cellphone load Cabillon has received from the complainant were given to him as donation. 

“The fact remains that at the time she allegedly gave money and cellphone load to the respondent, she did it gratuitously without a corresponding obligation on the part of the respondent,” the resolution reads.

The complainant, Pastora Superable, an owner of an eatery in Sibonga town, alleged Cabillon had asked money and cellphone load from her as donation despite him already having cut ties with the monastery of the Marian Monks.

In her complaint filed on November 2009, Superable alleged Cabillon went to her store on January 9, 2009 and asked her to donate P500 that he would use to go to another monastery. She said she gave Cabillon the money believing that he would use the money for transportation in going to another monastery as part of his duties.

Superable said Cabillon also allegedly asked cellular phone load from her for two months, which amounted to P1,200.

Superable said it was only later that she found out Cabillon was no longer connected with the Marian Monks. She said Cabillon’s act of asking money and load credits from her through deceit or abuse of trust and confidence caused her damage and prejudiced her.

For his part, Cabillon admitted he and Superable were friends, but denied asking anything from the complainant. He said Superable reportedly gave him the money voluntarily when he went to her store and shared with her his ordeals at the monastery. He also denied asking for load from Superable.

Aside from the complaint Superable filed, Cabillon is also facing another estafa case filed by Abelio Mangila, another Marian Monk, who alleged that Cabillon misappropriated more than P500,000 cash and assorted items or donations for the Monastery of Our Lady in Hilongos, Leyte . — (FREEMAN NEWS)