New judge handling Tiu case to undergo seminars first

CEBU, Philippines - Newly appointed judge Grace Veloso-Fernandez of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities will have to undergo seminars before she can attend to cases in her court, including the controversial case filed by lawyer Jiecel Tiu against the wife of Ronda Vice Mayor Jonnah John Ungab.

This means the motion Tiu filed to suspend the proceedings in the slight physical injuries case she filed against Pearl Ungab will have to wait.

Tiu asked that the proceedings in the court case be suspended while she files a motion for reconsideration on the prosecutor’s decision to downgrade the case to slight physical injuries from the original complaint of frustrated murder.

Assistant City Prosecutor Liceria Rabillas had said there was no evidence that Pearl had intent to kill Tiu.

“Private complainant has received her copy of the aforesaid disposition on 3 March 2015, at 5:30 p.m. Under the rules, a motion for reconsideration may be filed within a period of 15 days from receipt of the resolution. In this case, private complainant has until 18 March 2015 within which to file the same,” Tiu’s motion before the court reads.

She asked the court to hear the motion on March 13, 2015, but court personnel said the newly appointed judge will have to attend the seminars from March 16 to 27, 2015 in Tagaytay City and will attend to the cases after that.

Tiu sued Pearl for frustrated murder after the latter hit her with a baseball bat and smashed her car afternoon on February 26, 2015. Pearl allegedly attacked Tiu on suspicions the lawyer has an illicit affair with her husband.

Tiu had denied the allegation.

Rabillas told The FREEMAN she is yet to receive Tiu’s motion for reconsideration. — (FREEMAN)