Ombudsman dismisses graft charge against CSWDO chief

CSWDO Chief Marietta S. Legaspi

THE Ombudsman dismissed the graft case filed against City Social Welfare and Development Officer Marietta S. Legaspi. Aside from violating RA 9013 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act), Legaspi was also charged with violating Art. 286 of the Revised Penal Code or grave coercion.

The case was filed by American national Daryl Eugene Tillman whose residence was raided on June 10, 2010 for harboring three minor-aged sisters who worked for him as housemaids in the absence of their parents. The eldest among the girls was aged 16 that time.
 

Tillman alleged that Legaspi and 30 personnel of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) barged into his house and forcibly opened his safety deposit box and took away his cal.45 pistol which was the basis for the grave coercion charge. He also accused her of extorting P150,000 from him.
 

Tillman alleged that the amount was to facilitate his immediate release and will be divided between Legaspi, the CIDG and the prosecutor who will get P50,000 each. But the Ombudsman did not give credence to his claims and gave more weight to the testimony of Barangay Captain Emmanuel Quilantang that the search warrant was implemented in accordance with law.
 

Graft Investigation and Prosecution Officer Mona Chica Cabanes-Gillamac thus recommended the case’s dismissal for lack of probable cause which was approved by Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Pelagio and Asst. Ombudsman Virginia Palanca-Santiago.
 

Legaspi applauded the decision and thanked non-lawyer Fidel D. Banzon, member of the People’s Law Enforcement Board, who prepared her counter-affidavit based on the documents she submitted. Tillman is married to a Filipina from Cagayan de Oro and holds a Philippine permanent resident visa. by Elvie Roa

(WLWE issue of Nov. 7-13, 2011)