Ex-Silay prosecutor found guilty of abusing own client
Instead of helping a teen-aged rape victim in 2004, a former assistant provincial prosecutor of Negros Occidental handling her case sexually abused her and even offered her to drop charges against her rapist.
Because of this, the Sandiganbayan Third Division found Assistant Provincial Prosecutor Julius Padios guilty beyond reasonable doubt of violating Section 10(a), Article VI of Republic Act 7610 (Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimmination Act) and Section 1(a) of Presidential Decree 1829 (Penalizing Obstruction of Apprehension and Prosecution of Criminal Offenders).
"Accused who was old enough to be the victim's grandfather, did not only traumatize and gravely threaten the normal development of such innocent girl he was also betraying the trust that young girls place in the adult members of the community who are expected to guide and nurture the well-being of these fragile members of the society," read the 38-page decision penned by Associate Justice Samuel Martires and concurred by Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang and Associate Justice Alex Quiroz.
With this, the tribunal sentenced Padios to imprisonment from a minimum of four years, nine months and 11 days up to a maximum of six years, eight months and one day for violating R.A. 7610.
For violating P.D. 1829, the court sentenced him to suffer imprisonment from a minimum of two years, 11 months, and 11 days up to a maximum of four years, two months and one day as well as pay a fine of
In 2004, Padios was assigned to handle the rape case of Abigail (not her real name), who was then a high school student, against her church pastor Rommel Resurrecion whom she accused of raping her in February 2 that same year.
Sometime in September 2004, Abigail was accompanied by her aunt to the Silay City office of Padios who requested to have a conference.
It was during this one-on-one conference between the prosecutor and the victim that Padios allegedly abused Abigail.
The Fifth Division pointed out that Padios "failed to disprove the allegations of (Abigail) with his mere denials of the charges against him."