CEBU, Philippines - Arraignment of alleged cult leader Casiano Apduhan Jr. was reset to next month due to unavailability of his legal counsel yesterday.
Regional Trial Court Branch 59 Judge Hermes Montero reset the arraignment to August 12 because lawyer Danilo Yap could not show up due to another commitment in a Cebu City court.
Apduhan, a resident of Laray 3, Buanoy, Balamban, Cebu, is facing criminal charges of serious illegal detention for allegedly detaining Emma Nepomuceno and of illegal possession of firearm.
Christelle Marie, Apduhan’s daughter, manifested before the court that Yap was not available due to a conflict in schedule.
Yap, Christelle said, told them to get the assistance of the Public Attorney’s Office for the purposes of the arraignment. She said she went to PAO but Apduhan was not assigned a lawyer because he has a private counsel.
Montero decided to reset the arraignment in August, which the prosecution did not object to.
Apduhan tried to appeal for the court to set his arraignment earlier than August, but he was told the court’s July schedule was already full.
Christelle said Yap sent a text message Sunday night informing that he cannot attend the arraignment.
Heddah Largo, Cebu Provincial Women’s Commission (PWC) consultant, said she spoke with State Prosecutor Reynaldo Menchavez and that they opted not to object to the resetting of the arraignment.
She said the prosecution did not object because it was just the first time and was within Apduhan’s right. She said postponing the arraignment is Apduhan’s loss as he is currently behind bars.
Largo said that while PWC is involving itself in the case upon the request of Nepomuceno’s parents, it is them and the National Bureau of Investigation that serve as complainant of the case.
Aside from serious illegal detention and illegal possession of firearm, Apduhan is also accused of murder, child abuse, and expanded anti-trafficking in persons for allegedly killing Angelo Repuela, who was found buried deep inside a 30-foot tunnel under his house, and for forcing the Repuela family to work under him. The cases are still pending for resolution before the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office. —/RHM (FREEMAN)