CEBU, Philippines - Bogo City Mayor Celestino Martinez Jr. and the other respondents of the criminal complaints for arbitrary detention and grave coercion filed by Congressman Benhur Salimbangon will have more time to submit their counter affidavits after the provincial prosecutor’s office granted them a 15 day extension.
Acting Provincial Prosecutor Raul Cristoria granted the Martinezes’ motion for extension after finding it meritorious. It was the second extension granted to the Martinezes. They were first given until June 15 to submit but failed.
An extension was granted to them until June 25 but again failed claiming that their lawyer is still finalizing their affidavits. The Martinezes sought for a 15 day extension which Cristoria granted.
Cristoria has given the Martinezes until July 10 to comply with the order otherwise they will be considered to have waived their right for a preliminary investigation.
Aside from Celestino the other respondents are his wife former congresswoman Clavel Asas Martinez, their sons Atty. Jose Carlo and former Bogo City mayor Celestino “Tining” Martinez III; Bogo City Vice Mayor Santiago Sevilla; Atty. Ahmad Clay Escolar; and several John Does.
The case stemmed from a stand-off between during the May 10 elections wherein the respondents allegedly blocked the private vehicles of the complainant. Salimbangon claimed that they went to Barangay Polambato in Bogo City to check the reports that the Board of Election Inspectors in the polling precincts were issuing priority numbers only to the Martinez supporters. Salimbangon said that they were confronted by the respondents prompting them to leave the area to avoid conflict. However on their way out their convoy was blocked by the cars of the Martinezes.
The complainants claimed that they were technically detained for several hours because of the blocking of their convoy.(FREEMAN NEWS)