Gwen’s son drops theft charges vs DILG chief

ROBBERY charges against Interior and Local Governments Secretary Mar Roxas were dropped by the son of suspended Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia yesterday.

In a manifestation submitted to the Cebu City Prosecutors’ Office, Pablo “Paolo” Garcia III chose to remove Roxas from the respondents and included Acting Gov. Agnes Magpale instead.

Paolo accused Magpale of ordering the removal of the three tents used by Garcia’s supporters in front of the Capitol last month.

Asst. City Prosecutor Noel Cellona sent a subpoena to Magpale and the other respondents for them to file their counter-affidavits and refute the allegations.

Aside from Magpale Paolo also accused three police officials of forcibly taking the tents which he rented for P7,800 a day.

He said the respondents should be made to pay P7 million in damages.

Also named respondents in the robbery case were Chief Supt. Marcelo Garbo, Regional Director of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), Supt. Leopoldo Cabanag, commanding officer of the PNP Regional Public Safety Battalion; and Insp. Alvino Enguito.

Enguito identified Paolo as among the three men who hit him on the head during a confrontation last month.

The police inspector filed charges of direct assault against Paolo, Jose Ma. Primitivo Cal and Tonyson Lee.

The complaint was assigned to Asst. City Prosecutor Rogelio del Prado.

Police are also considering to confiscate the firearms registered to Paolo as a result of last month’s confrontation with police. Reporter Ador Vincent Mayol