Secretary charged for faking annulment case

October 20, 2011 - 12:00am

CEBU, Philippines - The National Bureau of Investigation in Central Visayas yesterday filed four counts of falsification of public documents against a secretary of a law firm in Talisay City who reportedly faked an annulment case. NBI-7 director Eduard Villarta filed the complaints against Joahanna Lariosa Padua before the Talisay City Prosecutor’s Office. Padua, resident of San Isidro Talisay City, was found in the investigation to have forged the signature of Regional Trial Court Judge Ester Veloso in the supposed decision of an annulment case. Veloso together with lawyers Christine Doller-Poligrates and Rowell Gomez Juban earlier requested the NBI to investigate the alleged falsification of court decisions in certain annulment cases. Based on the investigation made by Supervising Agent Rennan Oliva, a certain Leah Deparine introduced Cheryl Valle to Padua sometime in December 2010. Valle wanted her marriage to her husband Peter Anthony Barrientos to be annulled. Padua allegedly demanded P60,000 from Valle to process her annulment papers. The suspect asked for a P15,000 down payment and told Valle that her annulment papers will be completed within one to two months time. Valle was told to sign the petition for the annulment of marriage with Civil Case No.36965 entitled “Cheryl Valle vs. Peter Anthony Barrientos.” Valle was given an official receipt with the letterhead of Juban for the amount she paid as down payment. In January 2011 Valle was given the certificate of finality under Sp. Proc. No. 36765-CEB dated January 7, 2011 signed by Poligrates, clerk of court of RTC Branch 6 and a decision of the case signed by Veloso. A document from the National Statistics Office indicating that her marriage was already annulled was also given to Valle. However, the NBI found out that the case number of the supposed annulment case of Valle belongs to another case. Based on the court records, the case number 36965 is assigned in the case of “Kristine Costelo vs. Kent Ace Estominos.” Padua allegedly falsified the court document and forged the signatures of the judge including the clerk of court. The NSO certification was likewise fake. — (FREEMAN)

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