Man pleads 'not guilty' to elevator theft

MANILA, Philippines - A nephew and namesake of former National Security Adviser Alexander Aguirre pleaded not guilty to charges of theft of an elevator that was filed by the owner of a hospital in Mandaluyong City.

Alexander T. Aguirre entered a not guilty plea during the arraignment of the case before Judge Ofelia Calo of the Mandaluyong City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 211.

Aguirre, general manager of Alexa Trading and Construction Inc., also posted P40,000 bail for his temporary liberty.

Dr. Michael Unciano, owner of the Unciano Hospital, accused Aguirre of stealing the hospital’s elevator during the renovation of the building.

In his complaint filed last week, Unciano claimed that the accused, who was the contractor of the hospital renovation, failed to deliver the elevator to the hospital’s branch in Sta. Mesa, Manila.

The complainant said Aguirre reportedly installed the elevator at another construction project without the knowledge of Unciano Hospital.

As a contractor, Aguirre had allegedly violated “the trust and confidence reposed upon him as a contractor when he failed to return the elevator to the hospital after he and his construction company had it removed during their renovation work,” the complainant said.

Aguirre is also being charged for fraudulently passing himself off as a certified engineer.

Aguirre was reportedly awarded the contract to renovate the hospital in Mandaluyong City upon such representation.

Unciano vowed to pursue the case against Aguirre since it is the hospital’s patients that are being deprived of the use of the elevator.