No charges against Bacal yet

July 18, 2008

james judith and unsigned affidavit

By Lizanilla J. Amarga

Yet again the Balingit spouses yesterday failed to come to a decision whether or not they will slap legal charges against Cagayan de Oro City Councilor Alden Bacal for driving a vehicle that killed their son 15-year old Junrie Balingit and left the scene without offering help.

Atty. James Judith voiced suspicions that the Balingit Family may have already been paid off with some amount of money to buy their silence.

He said there is now a “slim chance” that the Balingit family would really pursue the case and file the complaint affidavits they prepared at the City Prosecutors Office.

“Kini dako kini nga talinghaga ug paglubag sa balaod (This is a big mystery and a twisting of the arms of the law),” he said.

He added that he has done everything he can as a lawyer who has sworn to uphold justice and as an officer of the court.

Judith was referred to the Balingits by a local radio station. He got the testimonies of Regie Balingit, the mother of the victim and the testimonies of witnesses Pedro Aninipoc, Jr. and Maricar Amper last Tuesday after the burial of the Junrie.

He showed to reporters that the affidavits of the mother and the witnesses were all ready and set to be filed last Wednesday but that the family and witnesses stood him up.

“Until karon wala pa gihapon sila magtunga. Malabo na kadto,” he said in a text message 4:45 p.m. yesterday .

Gerardo Balingit, Jr. said he already met with Bacal before the burial of his son and told the latter that they will only discuss matters on settling the matter after his son Junrie is laid to rest.

“Karon nga nalubong na tagai usab kami ug panahon kay gusto pud kami nga makig-istorya nalang usab kaniya sa dili pa kami mopasaka sa sumbong (Now that my son has been buried, give us some time as we are also willing to talk to him again before we finally decide on filing charges against him),” he told reporters gathered at Judith’s office.

Regie Balingit said they will try to think things over more because their witnesses have also gone cold and are not exactly willing to testify in behalf of their son’s death.

She said she was also told on how Bacal and those supporting the city councilor would drag this case forever and that this would be a huge bother on their part.

“Ug ginapangutana kami usab kung unsa pud ang paingnan sa amoang kaso ipasaka (We are also being asked on which direction would our case be heading if we so decide to file it),” she said.

City Councilor Atty. Ramon Tabor admitted yesterday morning that a ‘welcome settlement’ had already been arranged between the Balingits and the emissaries sent over by City Vice-Mayor Vicente Emano in behalf of Bacal.

He said City Councilor Adrian Barba and City Councilor Reynaldo Advincula had informed him of this good news earlier.

“Duna nay na uyonan nga mayo nga balita aron masulbad kini nga sitwasyon (There is now a settlement which is good news that will settle the whole situation),” he said over dxIF Bombo Radyo yesterday morning.

Emano for his part however said that he was surprised to hear that the Balingits would be filing a case when he was told by Barba and Advincula that some settlement had already been arrived.

“Pero ilaha kanang katungod gihapon kung mopasaka gayud sila ug kaso,” he said.

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Written by admin · Filed Under Cagayan de Oro