Man accused of robbing in-law cleared

CEBU, Philippines – The Provincial Prosecutor’s Office has dismissed for lack of merit a criminal complaint for robbery against a man accused of breaking into his father-in-law’s house and taking P28,000.

Provincial Prosecutor Pepita Jane Petralba approved the recommendation of assistant prosecutor Nelia Sistoso to dismiss the complaint against Rio Brigoli Alberio.

Sistoso gave more weight to Alberio’s version of the alleged robbery incident on October 7, 2008 in barangay Damolog, Sogod town.

Alberio said in his counter-affidavit that there was no robbery contrary to what was claimed by his father-in-law Julius Arche Montecillo.

According to Alberio, Montecillo is afflicted with cancer and that he and his wife, decided to take care of him.

Alberio said he built a house near their own for the complainant and likewise attended to his financial needs.

However, Alberio said his father-in-law was spreading rumors in their community that his wife is receiving commission from the hospital for his chemotherapy sessions.

The accused said he went to Montecillo’s house on the day that the alleged robbery took place supposedly to confront him about the rumors but the complainant was not around.

Alberio said he had duplicate keys of Montecillo’s house as he was the one who built it and entered. But since the complainant was not around he vented his frustrations for building the house by kicking the door.

Alberio said he did not steal anything from the house and that his father-in-law lied in his claim that he lost P28,000.

The respondent said it is preposterous for the complainant to have left the amount in the house when he was in the hospital that day for a medical checkup.

Sistoso resolved that Alberio’s claim is more atoned to normal human behavior rather than that of Montecillo. The prosecutor’s office also said that Montecillo failed to show evidence that there was P28,000 missing. —Fred P. Languido/BRP (THE FREEMAN)