Firm blocks move to dismiss raps vs Caloocan mayor

A private firm has opposed a government prosecutor’s move to dismiss the criminal charges against Caloocan Mayor Enrico Echiverri in connection with the supposedly illegal arrest of its parking attendants.

Jadewell Parking Systems Corp., the complainant in the case, also asked the Sandiganbayan First Division to deny the prosecution’s earlier motion to withdraw the charges against Echiverri and proceed with his arraignment on December 1.

The mayor was charged before the Sandiganbayan in June over the alleged unlawful arrest of Jadewell employees and for preventing them from enforcing a street pay parking system in 2004.

The contract for the parking scheme had been suspended that same year through a city ordinance.

Earlier this month, the Office of the Ombudsman, through the Office of the Special Prosecutor, reversed its previous findings and ordered the dismissal of the case against Echiverri.

In a resolution, the Ombudsman said that the case against Echiverri seemed to be politically motivated and was filed belatedly.

It also noted that the arrests were authorized by law since the parking attendants were found to be violating a city ordinance that the mayor had the authority to enforce.

Jadewell, however, said that it was premature for the prosecution to withdraw the case since the firm had not yet received a copy of the Ombudsman’s resolution clearing Echiverri of charges.

It added that the prosecution’s move had no basis because the Office of the Ombudsman itself had said that the arrests made by Echiverri were unlawful.

Based on the evidence, there was no reason for the Ombudsman to reverse its earlier findings, the company claimed.