By The SUN
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| Bondoc is accused of entering the Consulate 3x to threaten staff (File) |
The case against a Filipino accused of entering the Philippine Consulate three times last February and March, and threatening its staff, will be tried on March 6-7 next year, with Eastern Court Principal Magistrate Ada Yim telling both prosecution and defense to ensure it pushes through.
“We do not want this to be a test of memory of the the
defendant and prosecution witnesses,” she told both sides after noting that due
to postponements, the trial would be held one year after the incident that gave rise to three criminal charges
against Ronald Bondoc, 41 years old.
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| PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE |
Bondoc, whose bail of $500 was extended, is accused of criminal
intimidation for a telephone call last Jan. 22 in which he threatened a female
staff member, Lhyndzie Anne M. Orozco, with “injury to the property of the
Consulate General of the Philippines in Hong Kong” and with injury to a male employee
identified as Arnel.
He is also accused of common assault for returning to the
Consulate two days later and pushing down to the floor a male employee named
Edmound Cortes.
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| PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE |
The third charge, loitering causing concern, arose from his
returning to the Consulate on March 28, causing “any person reasonably to be
concerned for his safety or well-being.”
The defense lawyer said only Bondoc will testify on his
behalf to explain his behavior.
He also said defense will question the admissibility of a
voice recording to be presented as evidence for the first charge, saying the
way it was recorded – using a mobile phone to record the telephone conversation
between Bondoc and Orozco – makes it susceptible to tampering.
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| Press for details |
But Magistrate Yim told the defense lawyer to prove his
assertion with evidence during the trial.
She also advised the prosecution to serve a copy of any new
witness statement to the defense by Dec. 28.
The trial was supposed to have been held last Oct. 30 in Court No. 5 but was adjourned to today due to a delay in getting permission from the Department of Foreign Affairs in the Philippines to allow Orozco, an attache with diplomatic status, to testify.
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| BASAHIN ANG DETALYE |
When both sides appeared, and the prosecutor said the prosecution witnesses were ready, presiding magistrate Philip Chan sent the case back to Magistrate Yim’s Court 1 so that a new trial schedule could be set.
“I don’t want this trial to be aborted because of this issue,”
she said, referring to the problem with the witness.
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