One more PSG member in hot water

MANILA, Philippines – A member of the Presidential Security Group has been charged in court for allegedly punching his girlfriend in the face right on Malacanang Palace grounds as she tried to break off with him after learning he was already married and had two kids.

Jober Babaran, 29, of the PSG bomb squad was charged with violating the Anti-Violence against Women and their Children Law in the Manila regional trial court for inflicting physical injuries on Rose Marie Adalig, 29. The case was filed Friday.

In filing the indictment against Babaran, Assistant City Prosecutor Maria Honoria Sison said the respondent did not show up at any of the three dates set for a preliminary investigation and did not file any answer to Adalig’s charges.

“Three dates were set for preliminary investigation. Only complainant appeared and submitted her supplemental affidavit. Respondent did not attend despite subpoena with complaint affidavit and annex sent to him,” Sison said in her resolution of the preliminary investigation.

Adalig said in her complaint that Babaran punched her on the cheek and again on the head when she tried to get her things from his barracks at Malacañang Park last January.

Babaran told her not to make a scene because there were big bosses around. She felt her lips bleeding and she said, “Don’t treat me that way, I’m hurting.” But Babaran allegedly threatened to further hurt her while aiming his fist at her.

She said she would complain to the police and he replied that if he was removed from the job, he would join the New People’s Army and kill all her relatives.

Adalig said Babaran was a suitor and high school classmate in Isabela province whom she met again in Manila after 11 years.

Babaran wooed her again and she asked him if he was married, to which he said, “Will I court you if I were married?”

Adalig said Babaran also promised her parents that he would marry her. But through a social networking site, she learned after more than a year from Babaran’s siblings that he had a wife and two children in the province.

She said Babaran promised to choose her over his family but he started verbally and physically abusing her since then, which prompted her to end the relationship.

Babaran is the third member of the PSG to get in trouble with the law.

Corporal Bobby Ates and Sergeant Marvin Gaton were arrested in connection with a P100,000 car shop robbery in Quezon City last Thursday.