Negros mayor pleads guilty to lesser offense

The mayor of Hinigaran, Negros Occidental recently pleaded guilty to a lesser offense of ill treatment to avoid prosecution for charges of slight physical injuries filed against him by his municipal engineer.

Mayor Caroll Guanco was imposed a fine of P200 by the Sandiganbayan’s First Division and did not have serve any jail term.

Municipal engineer Joe­marie Magbanua, 41, accused Guanco, 57, of kicking him in the groin and slapping him on the face in the morning of May 22, 2005 at the town hall.

Magbanua said the assault came after they had a verbal tussle where the mayor reportedly insulted him and accused him of not attending to his duties and using office hours just to read newspapers.

Magbanua went to the municipal health office to secure a medical certificate right after the assault showing that he sustained “erythma (welt) and abrasions near the left eye and nosebridge,” and suffered hypertension for which he received medical attention for two weeks.

Magbanua claimed that Guanco had a grudge against him because he refused to give in to his demand that he should be “more flexible” in the implementation of the National Building Code to some building permit applicants. – Sandy Araneta