Loot: Robbery case vs. me fabricated

CEBU, Philippines - Daanbantayan Mayor Maria Luisa Loot filed her reply to the allegations against her for allegedly stealing the camera of a relative of the losing candidate for councilwoman in Barangay Tapilon, Daanbantayan.

Loot, in her counter-affidavit, said the robbery case filed by Shellice Faith Coyoca were false, malicious and fabricated.

“The complaint against me filed before this honorable office is but a form of counterclaim to the criminal case filed before the 3rd Municipal Circuit Trial Court, San Remigio-Daanbantayan-Medellin, Cebu against Coyoca,” her counter-affidavit read.

Loot said the date of the letter-complaint of Coyoca was on November 4, 2010 but it was only filed on December 14, 2010.

The case was based on the events that took place during the barangay elections on October 25, 2010 in Tapilon.

Loot said as mayor, and on authorization from Commission on Elections officer Maria Lourdes Andrino, she went to Tapilon to investigate a reported fistfight in the area.

A person who saw the incident told her that Coyoca, a niece of Tapilon barangay council candidate Lea Yvette Cuyos, started the incident.

Loot said Coyoca started to insult her and started taking pictures of her and because of irritation she approached Coyoca and got hold the camera.

Loot added she turned over the camera to the police. She added because of humiliation she decided to file a criminal complaint against Coyoca for unjust vexation.

Loot added the complaint filed against her was a form of harassment and a political maneuvering of the camp of the losing Tapilon barangay captain candidate Hiram Benatiro who is a relative of Coyoca.

Loot said all of them blamed her for their loss in the barangay elections. -/BRP (FREEMAN)