Bulacan court orders arrest of Vizcaya mayor

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya ,Philippines  – A mayor here was ordered arrested by a Bulacan court for perjury in connection with an earlier bigamy case filed against him before a Quezon City regional trial court (RTC).

Presiding Judge Corazon Domingo-Ranola of the municipal trial court (MTC) of Baliwag, Bulacan ordered the arrest of Mayor Nestor Sevillena of Bagabag town for untruthful statements regarding his two marriages.

A source at the Baliwag MTC said the arrest warrant was issued because the mayor’s counsel in the counter-affidavit to Sevillena’s bigamy case filed in the said town, executed perjured statements.

Sevillena has been on temporary liberty since September last year when Judge Bernalito Fernandez of Quezon City RTC Branch 97 allowed him to post a P24,000 bail bond for his bigamy case.

Sevillena contracted two marriages, the first to Amy Nadugo, under civil rites officiated by then Bagabag mayor Jose Castillo on Jan. 30, 1984; and Amida Afan, on Dec. 26, 2000 before a pastor in Quezon City.

Sevillena disputed the bigamy case against him, even though it was supported by documentary evidence, prompting then Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez to file a case of perjury against him.

In his motion for reconsideration, which the Ombudsman already denied, Sevillena claimed that he only had one valid marriage and that his second marriage was not binding since he did not secure a marriage license for it nor did he appear before anyone for a marriage.

He also claimed that the Ombudsman erred in filing perjury charges against him, noting that the complainants in the case are not even the offended parties, adding that even his first wife is not complaining.

But the Ombudsman said Sevillena failed to present evidence that his marriage with Afan did not take place.