Vidal: Mauled cabbie needs the money more

CEBU - The drama of the Batestil mauling case never seems to die.

Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal finally explained why the Cebu Archdiocese had to refuse the P200,000 donation of taxi driver Marcelo Batestil, while Cebu lawyers have expressed support for Judge Rosabella Tormis who plans to cite Sen. Renato Cayetano in contempt for rendering an opinion while the case was being heard in court.

Cardinal Vidal said the Cebu Archdiocese refused to accept the P200,000 donation of Batestil because he needs it more than the Catholic Church does.

"The money was intended for Batestil. Even if he has the privilege to donate it, we have considered (his) welfare," Vidal said in an interview with The Freeman at the VIP Lounge of the Mactan Cebu International Airport the other day.

Vidal was at the airport to send off Jose Cardinal Sanchez who left for Rome.

Batestil was mauled by three US servicemen of the USS Blue Ridge mid-March and was paid $5,000 (approximately P200,000) for damages. Batestil earlier said he would donate the money to the Catholic Church.

Although the Church insists that Batestil keep the money, taxi operators Alberto and Rose Camingao have decided to deposit the money in their own account for safekeeping as Batestil's whereabouts remain unknown.

The Camingaos are thinking of giving the money to constituents of Carcar where Alberto is a councilor.

Meanwhile, the Cebu City and provincial chapters of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) and the Mandaue City Lawyers' Association have passed a resolution criticizing Cayetano's statement which they claim constitutes an affront on judicial dignity and independence and violates the principle of separation of powers.

Pedro Rosito, IBP Cebu City chapter president, said they believe that Cayetano had stepped on the toes of the judiciary when he commented on the procedures Tormis adopted in handling the criminal cases filed against the three American sailors.

Rosito said they will give President Estrada, Senate President Blas Ople, House Speaker Manuel Villar, Supreme Court Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. and IBP national president Arthur Lim a copy of the resolution once the members of the joint IBP board shall have affixed their signatures.

Cayetano criticized Tormis for not imposing bail and not holding a marathon trial of the criminal charges against the American sailors.