Perjury, other complaints filed vs Santa Fe mayor

CEBU, Philippines — Santa Fe Mayor Jose Esgana is facing criminal charges for allegedly hiding some facts in his affidavit as witness in the killing of a political campaigner in front of his house on May 7, 2016.

Josefina Delima filed criminal charges against Esgana for perjury, obstruction of justice and corrupt practices before the Office of the Ombudsman relative to the pending case over the death of her son, Gilbert, a former employee of the mayor.

Delima’s complaint is supported by the affidavit of Jake Hijapon, a witness who reportedly saw Pablo Paul Escarlan, Esgana’s brother-in-law, repeatedly shot Gilbert at close range while Joanes Paulo Esgana, the mayor’s son, stood by.

Esgana, for his part, said he welcomes the Delima’s move.

“It is her right as a citizen and as an aggrieved mother to fight for justice for his son.  As everybody knows, the case already been filed, initially resolved and it’s running in the courts.  It is also right for me to answer all these allegations at the proper forum,” Esgana said.

On August 25, 2016, the National Bureau of Investigation filed a complaint for murder against Escarlan and Joanes Paulo over Gilbert’s death.

“After the NBI filed a case against Pablo Paul P. Escarlan and Joanes Paulo M. Esgana before the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor, I was shocked to read the affidavit of Mayor Jose B. Esgana as a witness of both the accused,” read Delima’s complaint filed last Friday.

In his affidavit dated October 10, 2016, Esgana claimed that in the afternoon until evening of May 7, he had a meeting with his party mates including Escarlan, who was then a candidate for councilor, inside their house in preparation for the May 9, 2016 elections.

“While we were in the midst of our discussion, we suddenly heard gunshot from outside the house and in her panic, my wife immediately ran to the master’s bedroom while I and Paul Escarlan dropped under the dining table,” Esgana said.

While dropping, Esgana said he noticed Paulo came rushing from the backdoor of the volunteer’s dining area and he shouted for him to drop down and asked the people inside to close all the lights.

However, Hijapon, in his affidavit, said he saw Gilbert went outside the mayor’s residence after having an altercation from inside and saw Escarlan shot the victim five times.

After the shooting, Hijapon said he saw Esgana standing near the body of Gilbert which was dragged inside the mayor’s residence.

“I thought that he will arrest or order someone to arrest the perpetrators of the crime but he did not. He allowed Pablo Paul P. Escarlan to leave the crime scene,” Hijapon said.

He said that Esgana also failed to alert the nearest police station or at least bring Gilbert to the nearest medical center.

Hijapon also alleged that after the NBI filed the criminal case before the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor, a group of armed men was looking for him at Kinatarkan Island in Santa Fe.

He also claimed he read the judicial affidavit of Esgana.

“Clearly, Mayor Jose B. Esgana is committing perjury when he made a false statement to clear his son and brother-in-law. Again, I personally witness the shooting incident outside the residence of the mayor,” Hijapon said.

On December 7, 2016, Prosecutor Rustom Presas Jr. indicted Escarlan only for homicide and dismissed the murder complaint against Joanes Paulo for lack of probable cause.

Both Escarlan and Josefina filed separate motions for reconsideration.

Escarlan sought the complete dismissal of the complaint while Josefina asked that the case be upgraded to murder.

Both motions were dismissed by Prosecutor Ludivico Vistal Cutaran.

A separate petition for review filed by Josefina is still pending before the Department of Justice. (FREEMAN)