BACOLOD City – The Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC), Branch 7 here issued a warrant of arrest against a lawyer and four others charged with grave coercion.
The five were Atty. Erfe Del Castillo, Francis Rey Cabuga, Patchy Cabuga, Joseph Rey Cabuga, and Cera Cabuga.
The charge was in relation to the standoff at Metro Inn Hotel last year.
Del Castillo, also the legal counsel of the four accused, confirmed in a text message to Panay News that each of them already posted a bail on May 8.
Judge Abraham Bayona issued the warrant of arrest on April 22 yet. He recommended a bail of P36,000 to each accused for their temporary liberty.
Del Castillo said, “If you are doing your work as a lawyer with passion, you usually end up being included in the case by the other party. It goes with the trade of being a lawyer. It is normal. It is no big deal.”
The standoff at Metro Inn Hotel on Nov. 19, 2018 angered Bacoleños and local business establishments for the resulting road closure along 6th Street, Barangay 7 that caused a massive traffic buildup.
The police cordoned a portion of 6th Street – where Metro Inn was located – in the evening of Nov. 19, 2018 and continued to the following day.
The standoff was due to a feud between Francis Cabuga and wife Catherine.
The road was finally reopened past 5 p.m. on Nov. 20, 2018.
Bacoleños took to social media to complain about the inconvenience caused by the standoff – several business establishments were also affected, their customers having no entry way and access due to the temporary road closure./PN
