By Leilanie G. Adriano
Staff Reporter
Laoag
City—Celso Ragudo, the principal witness who
was supposed to pin down suspended Bangui Mayor Diosdado Garvida for
indiscriminate firing may face indirect contempt of court charge if he does not
appear during the hearing at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan on June 24, 2014.
On June 17, 2014, Mr. Ragudo
was supposed to be the last witness against Mr. Garvida in the SP’s third and
supposedly final hearing of the administrative charge filed against the Bangui
mayor. Mr. Ragudo however was a no-show.
In an affidavit Mr. Ragudo
voluntarily filed at the SP, he said he saw Mr. Garvida fire his gun while
attempting to stop unlicensed quarry operators at a private lot owned by
Kremlin Alupay of Brgy. Taguipuro in Bangui, Ilocos Norte.
Mr. Ragudo, on June 17,
though did not appear on the hearing even after the issuance of a subpoena by
the provincial board.
Atty. Victor Corpuz, Mr.
Alupay’s legal counsel, said they tried to convince Mr. Ragudo but for some
unknown reason, their witness is now “evading” them.
In view of this, SP. member
Atty. Vicentito Lazo recommended to the provincial board that indirect contempt
of court be filed against Mr. Ragudo because he refused to show up during the
hearing even if the SP issued a summons addressed to him.
“The subpoena should not be
taken lightly. The SP has no contempt powers but under the rules of law, we can
file a verified petition at the Regional Trial Court for indirect contempt
against Ragudo,” Atty. Lazo said.
Ragudo is given
until June 24 to comply with the SP subpoena or face the charge at
the RTC.
Mr. Garvida was placed under
a month-long preventive suspension since May 21 pending the hearing of the administrative
charge.
The Bangui mayor was charged with
misconduct and abuse of authority after he allegedly fired a gun while
confronting an unlicensed quarry operator in April.
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