Bar ex-mayor’s aide from leaving RP

CEBU CITY — The wife of Mayor Tomas Osmeña is asking the Municipal Trial Court to issue a hold departure order against a former aide of former mayor Alvin Garcia while the case for grave threats she had filed against him is still pending in court.

Through lawyer Sisinio Andalez, Margot Osmeña has filed a formal motion in court for the issuance of a hold departure order against Jonah John Rodriguez, owing to Rodriguez’s alleged intention to go abroad after his care-giving studies.

"In view of the intention on the part of the accused to depart for abroad pending trial on the merits of the case, there is an imperative to issue a hold departure order against the accused Jonah John Rodriguez who might leave the country unnoticed and abscond from justice," Margot’s motion states.

In an interview with The Freeman, Rodriguez said that while it is true that he is currently enrolled in a care-giving program, he, however, does not have any intention to leave the country purposely to run away from the case.

"By all means, let them do that. I really don’t have plans of leaving the country… I think they are hallucinating, they need to see a psychiatrist," Rodriguez said.

In a separate motion, Osmeña also asked the court to admonish Rodriguez for his alleged "improper conduct" against her during the previous hearings of the case.

Rodriguez was said to have taunted, teased and made snide remarks against her in several prior hearings but it was only during the hearing on May 21 when she could no longer bear Rodriguez’s alleged moves.

Rodriguez, however, merely shrugged off and denied the allegations.

On June 25, 2002, a case for grave threats was filed in court against Rodriguez for allegedly sending malicious text messages to Margot by calling her a drug addict.

Last year, Margot asked the National Bureau of Investigation to track down the owner of the cellular phone that had been sending her the offensive messages.

The messages were sent through cell number 0917-3228428 and were eventually traced to Rodriguez’s mobile phone.

During the May 21 hearing, a short clash erupted between Rodriguez and Margot’s friend Elizabeth Locsin.

Locsin confronted Rodriguez, alleging that she heard him mocking Margot while the hearing was going on.

Locsin was seated right in front of Rodriguez, who was beside Ninette Garcia, wife of former mayor Alvin Garcia.

Prior to the confrontation, Andalez had called the attention of Regional Trial Court Judge Mamerto Coliflores to the alleged behavior of Rodriguez toward his client, which he said had been apparent even during the past two hearings.

Rodriguez is known to be an avid supporter of Garcia and had worked as the personal secretary of Ninette during Alvin’s term as mayor. — Freeman News Service