Man pleads not guilty to robbing judge

MANILA, Philippines - A 20-year-old man accused of breaking into the Quezon City house of a provincial judge and stealing electronic devices worth more than P75,000 pleaded not guilty to the robbery charges filed against him.

Richard Habijan was arraigned Tuesday before Judge Germano Francisco Legaspi of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 77.

He denied the charges even as Gapan, Nueva Ecija RTC Judge Wilfredo Maynigo identified him as the person who took his laptop and cell phone from his two-story home in Barangay Greater Lagro on Dec. 3, 2012.

In his complaint-affidavit, Maynigo said he was at the second floor of his house preparing to go to Nueva Ecija at around 3 a.m. when he noticed a man hiding in the shadows. The judge said he tried to chase the suspect, who fled from the area.

According to the charge against Habijan, he entered the judge’s house through a bathroom window. The suspect was arrested by roving police officers minutes after the incident.