Cebu protesters accuse Thelma Chiong of influence-peddling

CEBU CITY — Thelma Chiong, who once was the object of the city’s respect and sympathy, has become an object of ire.

About 100 people staged a protest against Chiong in front of the Chief Justice Marcelo B. Fernan Halls of Justice last Tuesday afternoon.

Chiong hogged the headlines when her two daughters, Marijoy and Jacqueline, were abducted from the Ayala mall in July 1997 by seven men, among them children of affluent families. Her daughters were believed raped and killed.

The protesting members of the Alliance of Concerned Relatives of the Accused (ACRA) carried placards with such slogans as "Justice for Thelma Chiong victims," "City prosecutor, no integrity because of Chiong," and "No to influence-peddlers like Chiong."

They accused Chiong, Crusade Against Violence (CAV) chairwoman for the Visayas and Mindanao, of using her influence to manipulate justice in favor of certain individuals.

The CAV is a non-government organization which assists relatives of victims of heinous crimes.

However, ACRA alleged that Chiong is now using her influence to cause partiality, particularly against suspects in criminal cases.

"While we perfectly sympathize with Mrs. Chiong on the tragic event that befell her two daughters, we simply cannot tolerate her and her group to use the CAV as an instrument to coerce and bully around authorities (such as prosecutors and employees of the prosecutor’s office)," ACRA said.

They further questioned why the CAV, a private group, holds office in the city prosecutor’s office.

"If the CAV is allowed there, does it mean that a group claiming to be pro-consumer or pro-poor be also allowed in the same building?" one of the protesters asked.

"With Mrs. Thelma Chiong acting as an influence-peddler having claimed connection with the old tenants of Malacañang, is it now high time to give both the accuser and the accused equal protection of the law?" the protester asked.

Chiong, for her part, maintained she is not threatened by the allegations, saying she believes she is not doing anything wrong.

"We are just defending the right of the victims and we would go all the way to give justice to them," she said. — Freeman News Service