2 witnesses against radio blocktimer recant testimony

Two witnesses in the case against the person accused of starting the tsunami scare have withdrawn as witnesses against the radio blocktimer.

Prosecutor Gandhi Truya, the handling investigator of the case, told The FREEMAN that witnesses Roldan Espina and Ryan Pedrosa, both motorcycle - for - hire drivers from Laguerta, Lahug, Cebu executed affidavit of desistance.

However, he said he did not accept witnesses’ desistance as he was the one who subscribed their affidavits against blocktimer Danilo Cogtas, a resident of Sitio Kalmar, Barangay Lawaan 2, Talisay City.

Truya said the complaints for violation of Article 153 of the Revised Penal Code or tumults and other disturbance filed against Cogtas is now under review.

He said he did not do the preliminary investigation directing Cogtas to file his counter - affidavit because of the affidavit of desistance made by the witnesses.

He added he never read the contents of the affidavit.

Meanwhile, City Intelligence Chief Romeo Santander told The FREEMAN he heard that the two witnesses executed affidavits of desistance.

“I will call their attention about it to ask why they executed these,” he said in Cebuano.

Santander admitted that if the two have withdrawn as witnesses, it would be difficult for them to pursue the case although it is still up to the Prosecutor’s Office to dismiss or elevate the complaint.

The two witnesses identified Cogtas through his pictures which came out in the newspaper after he went to the Cebu City Police Office ( CCPO) for questioning.

In their affidavit , the two said they saw a man who was wearing a huge identification card and wearing black vest like what some media people wear. The man was shouting in Pasil area that there was a tsunami. This happened last February 6, 2012.

They said they went to Pasil to check for themselves if there really was a tsunami because thousands of people headed to the mountains in Barangay Busay, Cebu City. - Mylen P. Manto/ JPM