Court orders newspaper to hold pay of Rodriguez

CEBU, Philippines - The Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC) sheriff was directed to garnish receivables and other benefits from Jonah John Rodriguez, who was convicted for grave threats against former Cebu City first lady and now City Councilor Margarita “Margot” Osmeña.

In 2006, MTCC Judge Oscar Andrino handed a six-month jail sentence to Rodriguez for sending malicious text messages to former mayor Tomas Osmeña and his wife Margot. The court also ordered Rodriguez to pay a total of P230,725 representing damages, his fine, and attorneys fees.

Rodriguez was found guilty of grave threats when he sent several threatening text messages to the Osmeña couple on December 8, 2001.

The ruling is the first of its nature involving new technology that has been used to harass and threaten people.

As instructed, Special Sheriff Edilberto Suarin served a notice of garnishment addressed to the Human Resource Department (HRD) of a newspaper company (not this newspaper), where Rodriguez works, requiring the company to stop forwarding monthly salary, receivable bonuses and other benefits to the convict.

The court also told the company to instead channel them to Osmeña.

“Garnishment is hereby made upon the monthly salaries, bonuses, mid-year and 13th month bonuses and other benefits due to the accused which is in your possession or under control belonging to accused sufficient to cover the P230,725,” the notice read.

This was addressed to the manager of the Human Resource Department of Sunstar Daily.

The court also requested the company to deduct 25 percent of Rodriguez’s net pay every 15th and 30th of the month and to any of his receivable bonuses, mid-year and 13th month bonuses and other benefits starting July 16, 2011.

“You are notified that you should not deliver, transfer or otherwise dispose such money in your possession belonging to the accused or to any person or entity except to the undersigned (court sheriff),” the notice said.

In an interview with The FREEMAN, Margot welcome the said development saying that Rodriguez only stopped when the decision was handed to him, but resumed his attacks through a social networking website against her.

Rodriguez, in a separate interview with The FREEMAN, admitted that he posted some of his views in his Facebook account especially during the State of the City Address of Mayor Michael Rama criticizing the Cebu City Council.

“It was only my opinion and views,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez lawyer Raymund Garcia told The FREEMAN that he will be filing a manifestation in court since his client has no more income and is no longer connected with any company.

“He is no longer connected with Sunstar. He is out of the company two years ago,” Garcia said.

Garcia is hopeful that the court will grant their motion.

The case stemmed when former allies, then mayor Osmeña and former mayor Alvin Garcia met head on as they battled for the mayoralty in the 2001 elections.

Osmeña edged then re-electionist Garcia to retake his position as the city’s chief executive.

Rodriguez, who is a supporter of the former mayor, branded Osmeña as a cheater and his wife a drug addict in his text messages.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) was able to link Rodriguez to the text messages since it was found that he owned mobile phone number 0917-322-8428, which was used by the sender of the messages.

Margot told the court that because of the text messages, she and her husband lost their peace of mind and were exposed to public ridicule.

A report on the investigation conducted by Supervising Agent Renan Oliva of the NBI and testimonies from eight other witnesses bolstered the prosecution’s case against Rodriguez.

Rodriguez admitted to the crime and even manifested in court that he understood the legal consequences of his change of plea and that he is willing to face a verdict of conviction.After changing his plea, Rodriguez then started asking forgiveness to the couple.

Rodriguez, after the promulgation, immediately applied for probation to escape a jail term. — (FREEMAN)