Kagawad, 2 others nabbed for beating up court clerk

Abarangay councilman and two others were arrested last Wednesday after a clerk of court accused them of detaining and beating him up last Sunday.

John Leslie Codoy, 29, who is also a university professor, was arrested at the school’s parking lot in barangay Banilad, Cebu City.

His two companions George Pahayahay Paner, 32, and Noel Ricaplaza Torno, 22, were also arrested in barangay Casuntingan by police officers from the Regional Special Operations Group (RSOG) led by Chief Insp. George Ylanan.

Police also confiscated from Paner a .45 caliber pistol, a .357 and a .38 revolvers, an Ingram pistol and ammunition.

Ylanan said they conducted the operation after Anshanor Bara-acal, Regional Trial Court Branch 8 clerk, sought their help to arrest the suspects for Sunday’s attack.

Ylanan said Bara-acal’s lawyer was set to file today a complaint of kidnapping, frustrated murder and serious illegal detention against the suspects.

Paner will face a separate case of illegal possession of firearms and violation of the election gun ban.

Bara-acal told police that Codoy could have been jealous of him being a former boyfriend of Codoy’s former girlfriend.

text from ex-gf

Bara-acal said last Sunday he received a text message from his former girlfriend asking that they meet in Banilad. He agreed to meet her. But when he arrived in Banilad, it was Codoy and his cohorts who were there.

Bara-acal claimed that they mauled him and later brought him to Codoy’s house where they detained and beat him up for three hours.

He claimed that Codoy in one instance took a gun placed a bullet in the chamber and spun the chamber. He then pointed it at Bara-acal and pulled the trigger. Fortunately, the gun didn’t fire.

He was only freed after Codoy’s father arrived and told his son to free him.

He reported his detention and mauling at the Casuntingan Police.

Bara-acal, who suffered cuts and bruises, sought the help of his uncle, who is a judge.

The judge asked the help of the Regional police.

Cebu Daily News also tried to get Codoy’s reaction but he refused saying he was waiting for his lawyer.

Codoy and his two cohorts were detained at the Casuntingan Police Station pending the filing of charges.

Codoy denied reports that he had sacks of fake money in his house.

Police and Casuntingan barangay captain Celso Castillo also said the report was wrong./Correspondent Chito O. Aragon and Reporter Jucell Marie P. Cuyos