Manila cop charged for affair with OFW’s wife

MANILA, Philippines - An overseas Filipino worker (OFW) filed charges against a Manila policeman yesterday for allegedly having an affair with his wife while he was in Dubai.

Joseph Buenaventura, 32, charged Police Officer 1 Fernando Morales of the Manila Police District’s Station 9 with immorality and grave threats. He did not file charges against his wife, Mary Ann.

He told Senior Police Officer 1 James Poso he left the country in 2009 to work in Dubai. He said they were married in 2008 but had been living together since 2000.

Buenaventura said he maintained communication with his wife during his first year abroad, but in 2010, his in-laws told him of his wife’s alleged affair with Morales. He said he tried to ask Mary Ann about it but she suddenly stopped communicating with him.

The OFW said he received several text messages from his wife that were meant for someone else.

Buenaventura came home in November and took custody of their two children, who told him his wife, who was on vacation in Japan, indeed lived with Morales. Mary Ann came home in December but avoided seeing him, he said.

Last week, Buenaventura said he took their youngest child to the house of his in-laws, where Mary Ann was staying, and waited a few blocks away. Within minutes, Mary Ann, with their youngest child in tow, came out of the house and went into a car driven by Morales, he said.

Buenaventura said he used his motorcycle to block the car. Morales got out of the vehicle, pointed a gun at him and threatened to kill him, the OFW said.

Poso said the case will be brought to the city fiscal’s office today and an administrative case against Morales will be filed before the National Police Commission.