This photo shows the 129 officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines who are applying for a promotion during a hearing of the Commission on Appointments in the Senate plenary on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. (File photo from NOY MORCOSO / INQUIRER.net)
MANILA, Philippines — Embattled military official Colonel Ranulfo Sevilla admitted having a relationship while denying child abuse allegations, which caused the bypassing of his promotion as brigadier general.
Sevilla, however, quickly clarified that he had had an affair, but only after he filed for annulment of marriage to Tessa Luz Reyes-Sevilla.
The official said he did that out of loneliness after the death of his mother.
“Nalulungkot ako noon. Ako ay naghahanap ng katuwang sa buhay. Inaaamin ko ‘yan. Nagkaroon ako ng girlfriends. Pero hindi sabay-sabay, at hindi during sa marriage namin,” he said in a press conference in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon city on Wednesday.
(I was lonely then. I was looking for a life partner, I’d admit that. I had girlfriends, but not at the same time, and not during our marriage.)
“That was only after when I filed a petition for declaration of absolute nullity of our marriage,” he continued.
(That was only after I filed a petition for declaration of absolute nullity of our marriage.)
He also said the charges in violation of violence against women and children (VAWC) filed against him have already been dismissed by the court, while categorically denying accusations of child abuse.
“Yung sinasabi niya naman po na VAWC, may court order po. Dismissed na po ‘iyon. Matagal nang dismissed, at ginagamit pa din niya sa panlilinlang. Kaya wala pong katotohanan ang paratang niya na nananakit ako sa aking asawa’t anak.
(As to the VAWC case, there is already a court order and that has already been dismissed. It was dismissed a long time ago, and she still uses it to deceive. So, there is no truth in his accusation that I hurt my wife and child.)
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The Commission on Appointments on Tuesday bypassed Sevilla’s promotion after his wife disclosed the allegedly harrowing instances she and her children reportedly endured at the hands of her “abusive” husband.