Clerk: Priest hit me

CEBU, Philippines - Two conflicting  reports were received by the Dumanjug Police Station involving an alleged confrontation between a parish priest and a group of burger outlet emplo-yees at the compound of the San Vicente Ferrer Parish Church in Barangay Bitoon, Dumanjug town Tuesday morning.

Teresita Sambrana, 37, Bigmak Burger Junction sales clerk, told police Dumanjug parish priest Fr. William Ybañez allegedly hit her head and grabbed her hair early morning Tuesday at the vicinity of the parish church.

But Ybañez also filed a separate police report against Sambrana and other people for allegedly destroying the padlock of the gate to enter the church compound where the outlet was located.

Police Officer 3 Rafael Albero Jr., desk officer of Dumanjug Police Station, said in an interview that Sambrana reported and alleged that she was assaulted by the priest.

The incident allegedly happened after she and her manager whose name was not mentioned in the police report, forcibly entered the church premises on Tuesday, said Alburo.

Alburo said that based on the blotter entry, Sambrana and her manager wanted to get inside the church premises where the outlet was located to clean it.

They allegedly asked permission but were denied entry by the caretaker so they had to destroy the padlock of the main gate.

“Ganiha alas 6:45 sa buntag among manager gilungkab ang gate sa Bitoon church, nananghid mi sa tigbantay sa simbahan bisan lang unta og moba-yad di man siya paagi. Da-yon naa na sa gawas, nang-limpyo ko sa outlet sa Bigmak gisuntok ko sa ulo ug larot sa buhok,” Alburo said quoting the police blotter.

However Alburo said that the parish priest also came to the police station to report Sambrana and others for forcible entry.

Alburo said that based on the blotter entry the parish priest alleged that at 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday Sambrana along with Engineer Racquel Simbajon “maliciously destroyed the padlock of the main gate of San Vicente Ferrer Parish Church.”

Alburo said that the priest alleged that when he woke up he was informed by the cleaner of what had happened so he went out of the rectory to confront Sambrana’s group.

Alburo said that when the priest talked to Sambrana the latter got angry and shouted at the priest when he asked for the padlock. She also allegedly told him “don’t worry we will buy a new one.”

The priest’s complaint report does not mention any physical confrontation.

Alburo said that after they recorded the conflicting reports the desk officer referred both of them to the barangay officials for possible mediation.

Meanwhile, a 27-year-old man was arrested by the police after he allegedly slapped, choked his wife and threatened to kill her after a heated argument on Tuesday night in San Fernando town.

The suspect, who works as a truck boy, was arrested by the police after their neighbors called the police asking them for assistance fearing something might have happened after they heard the two of them arguing.

When the police arrived they immediately placed the suspect under arrest since they caught him in the act of abusing his wife.

Initial investigation revealed that the husband and the wife were having an argument but the husband slapped his wife, choked her and threatened to kill her with a knife. — /BRP (FREEMAN)