CEBU, Philippines - The wife of Ronda Vice Mayor John Ungab is currently under hospital arrest after she allegedly attacked her husband’s rumored paramour outside the Centro Maximo Building, Cogon Ramos, Cebu City Thursday afternoon.
Pearl Ungab, 41, was arrested after she reportedly attacked lawyer Jiecel Tiu, 30, of Tungkop, Minglanilla, who suffered from injuries in her head and on the different parts of her body.
Police said Pearl waited for Jiecel to come out from her work around 5 p.m. last Thursday. When Jiecel came out to drive her car, Pearl reportedly followed her and stopped Jiecel’s red Toyota Vios by ramming it with her Nissan Navarra pick-up repeatedly.
Pearl then left her vehicle allegedly carrying a baseball bat and smashed the car of Jiecel. After destroying the driver’s window, Pearl opened the door and started hitting Jiecel with the baseball bat.
She reportedly even tried to drag the victim out of her car.
Jiecel, who was still inside her car, shouted for help. Senior Police Officer 3 Alan Magalso of the Traffic Patrol Group, who happened to be in the area, grabbed the baseball bat from Pearl.
Pearl was arrested with the assistance of the Mobile Patrol Group personnel and brought to the Fuente Police Station.
Fuente Police Station chief, Chief Inspector Wildemar Tiu said that Pearl was detained at the station’s detention cell. But during her medical check-up at the Cebu City Medical Center, she was referred to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center for obstetrics and gynecology because she was allegedly pregnant.
OB-Gyne doctor Christine Rose Nonan advised that Pearl be confined at the hospital. Wildemar clarified she is still under arrest and two policemen were detailed to watch her room.
He said that they filed a case for frustrated murder against Pearl since there was intent to kill Jiecel as she waited for the latter outside her office. Wildemar said they are eyeing jealousy as the motive of Pearl in attacking Jiecel. However, he cannot confirm yet the relationship between Jiecel and the vice mayor.
Frustrated murder
The complaint against Pearl was handled by state prosecutor Liceria Rabillas. She was no longer brought to the Prosecutor’s Office because of her confinement at VSMMC but Rabillas instead went to the hospital for her inquest proceedings.
Rabillas told the media that Pearl, upon the advice of her legal counsel, chose not to undergo preliminary investigation to answer the allegations filed against her. Instead, she manifested to face the charges in court.
Rabillas said she will resolve the complaint on Monday. She added frustrated murder is a bailable offense with a P40,000 recommended bail.
In her complaint-affidavit, Jiecel said she suffered injuries in her left shoulder and left ear while Pearl attacker her inside her car.
In an interview with the media outside the private room of Pearl she also denied having an illicit appear with the vice mayor. She confirmed, however, that she used to be part of the law office of the vice mayor as an associate, but voluntarily resigned last year because of the threats of Pearl. She claimed the allegations of Pearl have no basis. —/BRP (FREEMAN)