By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent
FORMER Taglimao barangay chairman William Guialani yesterday blamed Mayor Oscar Moreno for his arrest for child abuse at the Laguindingan airport in Misamis Oriental on Wednesday night.
Guialani is responsible for the grave misconduct case filed against Moreno and city treasurer Glenn Bañez that resulted in the ombudsman’s decision to dismiss the officials and perpetually disqualify the two from holding public office. Moreno has elevated the case to the Court of Appeals (CA).
Guialani spent the night being held by authorities at the Maharlika, and then he bailed out for P200 thousand at around 1:30 pm yesterday.
“Unfair,” said Guialani of the case filed against him, claiming that he was not afforded due process.
“There was no preliminary investigation,” he said.
Guialani lashed out at Moreno, saying it was clear to him that the case was filed because of “politics.”
He also questioned the timing of the issuance of the court’s arrest warrant against him, pointing out that it was served by the police right after the Office of the Ombudsman upheld its ruling against Moreno in connection with the grave misconduct case that he filed as a result of the controversial 2013 tax settlement between city hall and Ajinomoto Philippines.
Guialani, who failed to win a seat in the city council as an independent candidate in May, was arrested by members of the Lumbia police, City Intelligence Branch of the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo), and the Laguindingan police on the basis of a warrant of arrest issued by Judge Jose Escobido of the 37th branch of the Regional Trial Court here.
The court order came as a result of a child abuse case filed by Guialani’s former carenderia helper who was just 16 years at the time of the alleged commission of the crime.
Specifially, Guialani was charged with violation of Section 5, Paragraph (b) of Republic Act 7610, otherwise known as the Special Protection of Children against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.
The police team led by Senior Insp. Dennis Ebsolo of the Lumbia police arrested Guialani in Laguindingan past 10 pm, and he was brought to the Maharlika detention center at around 11:45 on Wedneday.
Guialani was first accused by the 16-year old of acts of lasciviousness before the Carmen police last year.
The alleged victim claimed Guialani took advantage of her inside his rented apartment in Barangay Patag last year.
The former barangay chairman was subsequently charged with rape before the prosecutor’s office. After reviewing the complaint, prosecutors opted to bring Guialani to court for child abuse.
Behind bars, Guialani strongly denied he took advantage of his former worker. In an earlier interview with this paper, Guialani said his accuser was inconsistent with her story.
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