Two indicted for falsification of public documents

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office has indicted two people of falsification of public documents after they have waived their rights to a preliminary investigation.

Assistant city prosecutor Gandhi Truya found probable cause to hold Rafael Escalona, 66, and Maria Perla Kaquilala de Marollano, 45, both of Bantayan, Cebu for trial.

An information of the case for violation of Article 125 of the Revised Penal Code was filed in court against the accused. The prosecutor’s office has recommended P38,000 bail to each of the accused.

Truya decided to elevate the case immediately before the court pursuant to Sec. 7, Rule 112 of the Revised Rules on Criminal Procedures after the accused opted not to avail of their right to a preliminary investigation.

The two were arrested by the members of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on January 31, 2013 during an entrapment operation. The arrest was made possible because of the complaint filed by spouses Teresito and Carmel Alon.

The couple sold a 5,000 square meter lot to Jenalyn Espina-Marlier in Bantayan, Cebu sometime in 2008.

The lot was covered by the Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT) No.TP-10001 with total area of 34,082 square meters.

De Marollano approached the parents of Marlier and offered her services to process the transfer of the land titles. Based on the investigation report, the accused used fake documents to acquire a tax declaration from the Cebu Provincial Assessor’s Office covering the aforementioned lot in the name of the Espina couple, the parents of Marlier.

The suspect caused the parents of Marlier to sign a mortgage contract supposedly as payment for the transfer of the lot ownership. The suspects demanded P60,000 and P264,000 as payment for their expenses in the processing of the transfer of the title.

The accused allegedly threatened that the lot will be forfeited in favor of the Escalona if they failed to pay the processing fee. (FREEMAN)