Official wants cases against him dropped

CEBU, Philippines - An official in Talisay City yesterday filed motions to quash against two of the three cases filed against him.

Association of Barangay Councils president Raul Cabañero, who sits as an ex-officio member of Talisay City Council, filed motions against cases of illegal gambling and obstruction of justice lodged against him by the National Bureau of Investigation-7.

Lawyer Ceasar Entice confirmed this to the media yesterday.

Cabañero, captain of Barangay Bulacao, was charged with three cases after NBI operatives reportedly caught him playing mahjong while they were seeking the official's assistance in the arrest of suspected drug pushers in his barangay.

NBI-7 filed three cases against Cabañero, including illegal gambling, obstruction of justice and refusal to give assistance to authority.

Cabañero was supposed to be arraigned yesterday morning but Talisay City Municipal Trial Court in Cities presiding judge Mario Manayon decided to defer the arraignment to February 3 to tackle the two motions filed by Entice's client.

Entice said the NBI-7 does not have sufficient evidence to support the two charges against Cabañero.

Entice also argued that the illegal gambling charges filed against Cabañero will not hold water because mahjong is considered as a "parlor game" and is not illegal under Presidential Decree 1602.

Cabañero, he said, could not be charged for obstruction of justice because during NBI's operation, the suspects were arrested just before they approached the barangay captain for assistance.

As for the third case, Entice said they will prefer to have it tackled through a court trial. —  (FREEMAN)