The Weekly Vanguard 13th issue 9th issue | Page 4

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4 Vanguard

Dec . 12 - 17 , 2016

Mayor cleared of rape case

By Miriam Desacad
Tacloban City – Jay M . Ilagan , an elected mayor of Mataas na Kahoy , Batangas , who was later disqualified by the Supreme Court , was finally released from detention by the National Bureau of Investigation after the rape case against him was dismissed by the regional trail court in Ormoc City .
This after he spent more than 10 months in jail .
The case was filed by a 19-year old woman who worked at a hair saloon in Quezon City , saying she was raped by Ilagan in a pension house in Ormoc on Nov . 5 , 2013 .
Ilagan however countered that he had never been to Ormoc , adding that he was officiating at a wedding at the town hall when the alleged rape occurred .
Ilagan ’ s statement was supported by the sworn statements of Moriel Abogado and Jose de Guzman who were said to be “ independent , disinterested and credible witnesses .”
In his decision , RTC Regional Trial Court Judge James Clinton C . Nuevo said the rape story of the private
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Mayor Jay M . Ilagan
complainant should not be believed because they were mere fabrications of a lying and bogus rape victim . He said there were too many details in her story that did not match verified facta .
“ The private complainant has not been honest in this respect that the court finds her credibility and trustworthiness is serious doubt ,” reads the court decision .
Ilagan also maintained that it was his political rivals who cooked up the socalled rape after he exposed the ghost projects involving a known contractor in his town . also mentioned the announcement of Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar the construction of a pedestrian bridge directly connecting Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 with Newport City which is on track and due to open on the first half of 2017 .
Once completed , the runway will allow the average person to walk the distance between the airport and Newport City in approximately three minutes . It will be an enclosed air-conditioned bridge with PWD-friendly facilities such as moving walkways and elevators .
Also during the same press briefing , Abella mentioned Coca-Cola Philippines ’ plans to invest $ 1 billion more in the Philippines in the next few years .
The plan comes on the back of the $ 1.4 billion that Coca-Cola has already invested in the country between 2010 and 2014 , he said .
The efforts include adding two new bottling lines to its Misamis Oriental plant , the rebuilding of its Tacloban plant , and the purchase of a manufacturing facility in Davao del Sur from San Miguel Corp ., which speaks
He said that his legal team is now preparing a possible legal action against people who are responsible for this frame-up and fabricated criminal charges filed against him .
He also warned his coworkers in the government , especially those in elective posts , to take extra careful from being victimized such modus from their political opponents .
“ Huwag naman sana gawin ng mga kontra sa politika na gumawa ng bogus na kaso para lang sila makaupo ,” he said .
( Would that political opponents would not cook up bogus cases so that they could assume power .)
In 2016 he said he won over 2,000 votes against his political rival .
But a few days after the elections , the Supreme Court affirmed the decision of the Comelec to disqualify him .
Atty . Beulah Coeli C . Fiel one of Ilagan ’ s legal counsels said that the human trafficking charges are still pending before Judge Nuevo ’ s Sala , waiting for the prosecution to submit evidences , otherwise they will be dismissed .#
of a positive outlook in terms of economics in the Philippines .
On social welfare , Abella mentioned the President ’ s pledge to give half of the Php 5 billion he received from PAGCOR to DSWD and to Department of Health , intended to fund medical needs of poor Filipinos .
“ It ’ s the President ’ s intention , it ’ s of improving the wellbeing of the nation and this is actually part of , in a sense , an expression of his campaign promises ,” Abella said . #
‘ Freedom from fear ’ could be said to sum up the whole philosophy of human rights . - Dag Hammarskjold

2 nabbed in Sia murder , but brains still at large

By Jun Tarroza
Ormoc City - The murder case of businessman Wilson M . Sia was finally solved last week after two suspects , who were nabbed for other cases , confessed to committing the crime , but pinpointed at a mastermind who hired them for P20,00 for the hit .
Charged for murder are Michael A . Daclitan , 30 , married , self-employed , of Brgy . San Antonio , this city ; and Mark Anthony P . De Guzman , 29 , single , jobless , of Sitio Colisao , Brgy . Sto . Nino , also this city .
The two pointed at Remedios C . Saberon , 45 , married , property broker , of OLFAMCA Purok Crysantimum , Brgy . Cogon , also this city , as the mastermind .
They said Saberon hired and paid them P20,000 to kill Sia . She is now at large .
The two confessed the killing after the police caught Daclitan for illegal possession of firearm , and De Guzman for illegal drugs , separately , on Nov . 24 .
Sia was gunned down at a car wash station along national road at SSS subdivision village , Brgy . San Pablo , here , in the morning of Nov . 8 . While the victim was waiting to finish washing his multicab , one of the two suspects approached Sia sitting on a bench and shot him several times at close range , causing his instantaneous death .
The victim ’ s daughter Nikki said the suspects shot his father at point blank , sustaining three gunshot wounds on his body . She said she didn ’ t know the suspects personally , and what she knows was that the alleged mastermind has a debt of P410,131 from her father who was into money lending .
Wanted : Remedios Saberon
She said Saberon once attended the wake of his father at V . Rama Funeral Homes and talked to her promising to pay her debt . Saberon told her she was shocked when she heard the news of the sudden death of her father .
In their affidavits , De Guzman said he went to the house of his friend Saberon ’ s son Kirby at San Antonio to meet the alleged mastermind who arranged a meeting with the two suspects at her house in Cogon . There , Saberon gave them picture of Sia weeks before the killing . The suspects found out later Saberon hired them to kill Sia because of her debt .
Kirby and Daclitan are neighbors in that village .
Also in their affidavits , De Guzman pointed Daclitan as the gunman , while the latter said it was de Guzman who pulled the gun , using a . 357 magnum pistol to kill Sia .
De Guzman stated he was driving the motorcycle when they allegedly committed the crime , as Daclitan made the same claim .
But Daclitan said he owned the RUZI motorcycle and that De Guzman asked for his gun to kill Sia .#

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Forester Alejandro K . Bautista Community Environment and Natural Resources Officer CENRO , Baybay City