Wakee Salud posts bail again for perjury case

CEBU, Philippines - Boxing promoter Rex “Wakee” Salud posted bail last week for his temporary liberty after an arrest warrant was issued against him for a perjury case. 

Judge Rogelio Lucma-yon of the Municipal Circuit Trial Court in Consolacion, Cebu issued the warrant of arrest against Salud after finding probable cause the allegations that Salud swore in false information on his application to transfer residence.

Salud ran for mayor of Cordova town in the May 2013 elections. However, he was disqualified by the Commission  on Election for failing to prove his transfer of  residence from Punta Princessa in Cebu City to Cordova.

Cordova Mayor Adelino Sitoy filed perjury cases against Salud.

Lawyer Fillmore Gomos, legal counsel of Salud, told The FREEMAN that his client, on March 11, 2014, posted the recommended bail of P6,000 before the sala of Judge Lucmayon.

 â€œBecause we monitored the case, Salud was not arrested. I told him to go to court to voluntarily surrender and posted the recommended bail bond,” he said over phone interview.

 Lucmayon, in his order dated March 4, 2014, recalled and set-aside his earlier decision dated February 24, 2014, dismissing the case filed against Salud. He then ruled to issue a warrant of arrest.

 â€œThe presiding judge of this court must admit the error committed due to the mistaken honest belief that there is only one case of perjury filed against the herein accused. Wherefore, foregoing premises considered, the questioned order, dated Feb. 24, 2014 is hereby nullified, recalled and set aside,” the two-page order reads.

 Gomos said Lucmayon earlier dismissed the case filed against Salud after he thought that it was the same case filed before the other court which was dismissed.

 â€œHe (judge) thought the case raffled to his sala was an appealed case,” he added.

 Lucmayon said he was enlightened when Judge Jocelyn Uy-Po of the Municipal Trial Court in cities and her clerk of court went to his office and showed the records of the other case.

Last December, Judge Wilfredo Dagatan of the MTCC Branch 3 dismissed a perjury case against Salud while in June, also last year, Salud posted a P6,000 bail for a perjury case also filed by Sitoy.

The arraignment and the pre-trial of the recent case are set for April 24, 2014. — (FREEMAN)