Court finds man guilty of ‘stealing’ sister’s gems

CEBU, Philippines - The Regional Trial Court has convicted a man for theft for allegedly stealing pieces of jewelry owned by his sister.

Judge Gilbert Moises held Kim Nino Reyes a.k.a. “Jefferson Ong” criminally liable beyond reasonable doubt.

“The court is convinced that the accused committed the crime. The positive declaration of the house helper, Helen Gutierrez, that she saw the accused enter the room of the private complainant because she was able to follow him prevails over the negative assertion of the accused,” the decision read.

Moises sentenced accused to suffer the penalty of imprisonment for four years and 10 months as minimum to 15 years as maximum.

In a statement, Angeline Te Ong, a businesswoman, a resident of Barangay Gua-dalupe, Cebu City, said she lived with her parents wherein the accused also lived.

On April 21, 2013, she alleged, their house help confided to her that her jewelry worth P180,000 placed in a jewelry box inside her room was stolen by the accused.

Angeline reported the incident to the police station.

Jefferson said he used to live in the house of his foster parents, Casiano Ong and Cesaria Ong, where the complainant also lived.

He denied that he stole the jewelry of his sister. On the said date, he went to the house of his foster parents to change the clothes of his children and to take them to Barangay Carreta.

He said he was in a hurry then because he still had to rush to Lapu-Lapu City to catch up a basketball tournament at 7:20 p.m. He was a coach to a basketball team.

Judge Moises, however, ruled in favor of Angeline.

Moises directed Jefferson to pay the complainant the value of the stolen property in the amount of P180,000 plus six percent interest thereof from the time of the judgment becomes final until fully paid.  (FREEMAN)