Radioman rues ‘Chona Mae’ scare

It was exactly one year yesterday when Cebuano radio blocktime host Danilo “Danny” Cogtas was blamed for shouting “tsunami” and causing panic in the streets two hours after an earthquake hit Cebu City.

Cogtas and his lawyer Ruphil Bañoc yesterday went to court for a pre-trial conference on the charge of tumult and public disturbance filed against him. The private complainants, the police, were not around.

Bañoc said he would move for the l dismissal of the case if the police dn’t attend the next hearing on April 3.

Cogtas, who insists he is innocent, said the case has burdened him for a year..

“Samok, uy. Naa kay huna-hunaon kon naa kay kaso. Disturbo kaayo. (It‘s bothersome. The case weighs on my mind. It disturbs me a lot),” he told Cebu Daily News.

For one, he said he was unable to attend his radio commentary program in dyRB yesterday morning in order to appear before Judge Anatalio Necesario of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities Branch 2.

He also anchors a public service program “Tabang Sugbo.”

Cogtas said the case was taking a long time, and that he kept coming back to court for hearings.

His lawyer doesn’t charge for his services. Bañoc is the past president of the Kapisanang ng Mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas- Cebu chapter.

Cogtas said the police should investigate well before accusing someone. Cogtas is an accredited broadcaster, having passed the KBP exams.

In a complaint filed five months ago, two habal-habal drivers identified Cogas as the man who shouted to everyone within earshot that a tsunami was coming.

But Cogtas said he just told his son loudly over the cellphone to flee to higher ground to avoid a tsunami

He said their conversation was just overheard by other people.

Cogtas said it was the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) that declared the Level 2 tsunami alert that caused panic in downtown Colon and other parts of Cebu City. Reporter Ador Vincent Mayol