Raps vs jealous vice mayor’s wife downgraded

JIECEL TIU

CEBU CITY—There was no intent to kill.

This was the ruling of City Prosecutor Liceria Lofranco-Rabillas in downgrading the frustrated murder charges to slight physical injury filed against the wife of Vice Mayor Jonah John Ungab of Ronda town who attacked her husband’s alleged mistress with a baseball bat.

The case against Pearl Ungab was elevated to the Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC) on Tuesday but MTCC Executive Judge Monalila Tecson ordered her release.

The judge removed the P2,000 recommended bail and followed summary procedure by ordering the wife to appear in court and submit her counter affidavit and those of her witnesses in 10 days.

Pearl, who is seven weeks pregnant, remained in the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.

The complainant, lawyer Jiecel Tiu, is not happy with the resolution.

Her lawyer, Rex Fernandez, said his client would contest the ruling and seek the inhibition of Rabillas.

Confrontation

On Feb. 27, Tiu was about to leave the parking area of Centro Maximo Building at the corner of Ranudo and Jakosalem Streets in Cebu City when Pearl allegedly confronted her violently.

Out of fear, Tiu drove her Toyota Vios to Echavez Extension in Barangay Cogon Ramos but Pearl, who was on board a Navara pickup truck, allegedly bumped her car.

PEARL UNGAB

Pearl disembarked from her pickup, carrying a baseball bat. She allegedly smashed the windows of Tiu’s car and hit Tiu with the baseball bat.

Tiu suffered bruises on the left shoulder, behind her left ear and knees.

Pearl, 41, was arrested by police and placed under hospital arrest after she complained that she was “spotting,” a condition common to pregnant women.

Tiu said she is not a mistress and called on Vice Mayor Ungab to speak up and clarify the issue.

“I’ve lost my reputation. I’ve lost everything except for my life that I’m trying to protect now,” she said.

Tiu, 30, used to work at the vice mayor’s law firm but decided to leave after Pearl allegedly harassed her over rumors that she was having an affair with Ungab.

In an interview on Sunday, Pearl admitted she smashed the windows of Tiu’s pickup but denied hitting the lawyer with a baseball bat.

JONAH JOHN UNGAB

Pearl said she went after Tiu, not because of jealousy, but out of anger after Tiu attacked her with pepper spray and bumped her and her two-year-old daughter with her car.

Pearl said she was with her daughter when she saw Tiu on the parking lot. She approached the lawyer to talk to her but Tiu dismissed her, saying there was nothing to talk about since Pearl’s marriage with Ungab is in shambles.

When Pearl insisted, Tiu attacked her with pepper spray. Tiu went inside her car.

Pearl said her daughter fell to the ground when Tiu bumped them with her car.

In the resolution downgrading the charges, Prosecutor Rabillas said Pearl could have used a gun or another weapon if she wanted Tiu dead.

“Though a baseball bat can be considered a weapon, yet the manner it was used by the respondent in assaulting the complainant would readily show that she does not have the intention to kill the complainant,” said Rabillas.