Judge’s ailment stalls Roldan trial

Presentation of the so-called "explosive evidence" that will rock the Dennis Roldan kidnapping trial will have to wait a few more days after the judge failed to show up yesterday due to a fever.

"We will be presenting a vital witness who can establish the innocence of the accused. We don’t know how many there are, but definitely yung unang witness ang talagang yayanig sa inyo," said lawyer Dodjie Encinas, counsel for accused couple Noel and Rowena San Andres.

The couple, along with the former actor and congressman, are accused of kidnapping a Filipino-Chinese boy in Pasig City last year.

"Mababago talaga ang scenario ng kaso," Encinas said.

Court employees said Judge Agnes Carpio of Pasig City Regional Trial Court Branch 261 has not been reporting for work due to a high fever.

Roldan (Mitchell Gumabao in real life) and his five co-accused arrived in court as early as 8 a.m. yesterday.

The court said the next hearing would be on Feb. 21, which marks the first year anniversary of the rescue of the kidnap victim by elements of the Police Anti-Crime Emergency Response (PACER) in Cubao, Quezon City.

The San Andres couple, Octavio Garces, Adrian Domingo and Romeo Orcajada were arrested during the rescue operation.

Roldan was nabbed in a follow-up operation at his house in Fairview, also in Quezon City.

Earlier, the prosecution presented at least 10 witnesses, including the victim’s mother, as well as a taped conversation between her and Roldan during the negotiation for the child’s ransom.