Judge punched by drunken man

CEBU, Philippines - A judge was injured after he was punched in the face by a drunken errand boy outside the Sacred Heart Parish at D. Jakosalem St., Barangay Zapatera, yesterday noon.

Judge Mario Trinidad, 63, of the Bogo City Regional Trial Court Branch 61, sustained a cut and a bruise in the lower part of his left eye after Charlie Alburo, 40, punched him directly in the face.

Trinidad was walking home just across Sacred Heart Parish where he attended Mass when the suspect, who was apparently waiting for him, punched him without any word.

The judge, who was alone that time, ran towards his house while the suspect chased him.

Trinidad managed to get inside his house safely.

Zapatera barangay captain Albert “Jinggoy” Reformina Jr., who was also leaving the church after attending Mass, ran after the suspect and eventually restrained him.

Reformina took Alburo to the Pari-an Police Station where the suspect is now detained.

Trinidad went to the Perpetual Soccour Hospital for medical treatment.

The judge then proceeded to the Cebu City Medical Center to obtain the medical certificate for the filing of charges against the suspect and then went to the Pari-an Police Station yesterday afternoon to have the incident reported. There, the suspect apologized to Trinidad, but the judge intends to pursue the case against him.

Alburo, a resident of Cabreros St., Barangay Basak-Pardo, frequented Trinidad’s place to do him errands, said Chief Insp. Aileen Recla, chief of Pari-an Police Station.

Yesterday morning, before Trinidad attended the 11 a.m. Mass, the suspect, who was already drunk, asked the judge to let him cut the Acacia tree behind his house. This would supposedly earn him money.

“Giingnan siyang judge na ayaw lang kay dili na’ ato unya nakahatag sad na’ og shade diri. Mao ra to’y gikaingnan iyang giatangan si judge ug gisukmag niya. Hubog sad,” said Recla.

Recla said Trinidad will file a case of attempted murder against the suspect.

“I don’t know if mo-prosper ba ang attempted murder case, but may intent man sad gud kay iya mang giatangan si judge unya mura sad daw naa siya’y gibunot sa hawak pagpadung niya sukmag kang judge,” the police station chief said. There was no weapon recovered from the suspect, though, she said.  — /BRP (FREEMAN)