Mayor Gica seeks 15 days more to answer charges

The penalty of prision correcional in its minimum period shall be imposed on any public officer who, not being authorized by judicial order, shall enter any dwelling against the will of the owner. Art. 128 of the Revised Penal Code

Dumanjug Mayor Efren Guntrano Gica yesterday asked the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas to give him more time to answer the graft and misconduct charges filed against him and his brother, Councilor Erwin Gica.

Gica’s lawyer filed yesterday a motion for an extension of 15 days to submit his counter-affidavit to the complaint filed by Marlene Quirante, who accused them of simple misconduct and oppression for leading the police in raiding a house without a search warrant in 2015.

“Due to the undersigned counsel’s other professional commitments of equally urgent nature such as appearance in out-of-town hearings, the undersigned counsel needs an addition of 15 days to comply the same,” the pleading read.

The respondents had been given until today, Oct. 19, to submit their counter-affidavit.

In June this year, the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas suspended for one year without pay the Gica brothers for simple misconduct and oppression.

The case stemmed from the complaint filed by Quirante againts the Gica brothers and police officers Sabellano Saromines, Danny Camero, and Marvin Libradilla before the prosecutor’s office. Quirante accused the respondents of violating the Revised Penal Code.

In her affidavit, Quirante, 29, said she went to their piggery to get piglets to be sold to buy medicines for her sick child last Aug. 9, 2015.

The respondents allegedly instructed Quirante to get inside the house, but she refused since the respondents did not have a search warrant.

The police handcuffed Quirante and forced her to get inside. Quirante said that their belongings were loaded into a government vehicle parked outside their house.

Quirante was released from detention after posting bail on drug charges. /