Carillo in trouble

I am amazed at how simple is the political life of Gov. Hilario Davide III who doesn’t make a lot of fuss about his position as the new chief executive of the Province of Cebu. Davide goes to the Capitol building before n 8 a.m. such that he wasn’t allowed entry at the Palace of Justice by security guards who didn’t recognize him.

Davide showed up with one aide. He didn’t force the issue or admonish the guard who said that only employees of the Palace of Justice were allowed inside that early.

What a rare gesture of modesty from a public official so unlike many politicians who insist on being treated like VIPs.

I really appreciate the simplicity and humility exhibited by Davide who is like his father, the former Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. that way.

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Cebu City Councilor Gerry Carillo is in hot water after he was accused of hitting a teenage boy on the head with a rock during a dawn commotion outside Kuerks restobar.

Carillo denied the accusation including the story that he manages or owns the bar. He said he was just there to respond to an alarm about a rumble between two groups.

He lamented that he was pointed to as the culprit basically because he was a councilor who could help in the hospital expenses of the victim.

One significant thing that came out is that Councilor Carillo did not bring the injured boy to the hospital. It was a good Samaritan who brought 16-year-old Jan Niño Pogoy in his multi cab.

Four witnesses positively identified Carillo as the one who struck the head of the teenager, a Querks customer, with a rock. Regardless of the result of the investigation, I believe that Carillo can take good care of himself in the case.

I pity his son who is a student of the University of San Carlos who was confronted by a fellow student in the school hallway with a newspaper headline about the rumble.

I saw how the son calmly admitted that the subject in the newspaper account was his father. When I asked Carillos’ son if his father owns Kuerks, the student said no. He said that they managed the restobar.

In the police investigation by the Cebu City homicide division, four young men identified Carillo as the one who hit Jan Niño. It was later reported that Carillo gave financial assistance to the Pogoy family. The victim’s mother admitted that she received it from his lawyer’s secretary but has not used the money yet because she suspects there was “malice” or an ulterior motive behind the gesture.

Carillo has asked the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to investigate the incident, which is unusual, because it is usually the victim who would make such a request, not the one accused of a crime.

It’s not clear whether a criminal complaint would be filed against Carillo, an incumbent councilor.

I was informed that Carillo frequents the place because his girlfriend owns a pizza parlor near Kuerks. I just hope the investigation by the police or the NBI yields the truth so the Pogoy family, especially Jan Niño, will find justice.

I don’t know why restobars serving liquor to minors are allowed to operate by City Hall when the establishment is within 100 meters of schools and churches. Kuerks and other restobars are near the University of Cebu and University of San Carlos as well as the Sto. Rosario parish church. Clearly the establishments violate the city ordinance restricting the sale and serving of liquor.

Students in uniform frequent the places and drink beer even at day time. And the restobars play loud music that disturbs residents and other establishments in the area.