[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’Convicted ex-traffic head seeks probation – lawyer’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY MAE SINGUAY
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
BACOLOD City – The former Bacolod Traffic and Authority Office head facing an 11-day imprisonment applied for probation, the city legal officer said.
It was an admission of guilt, if City Legal Office head Joselito Bayatan were to be believed.
A court has found Reynaldo “Butch” Ebreo guilty of slight physical injuries for attacking another city government worker in 2008.
His failure to present evidence to refute the claims of complainant Marlou “Nonoy” Amago resulted in the conviction, Municipal Trial Court in Cities Branch 4 Judge Francisco Pando said in an order promulgated Sept. 9.
At the time of the incident, Ebreo was executive assistant to Mayor Evelio Leonardia assigned to head the Office of the Building Administrator, while Amago was a foreman at the Department of Public Services.
Bayatan, one of the counsels for Amago, said he received on Wednesday a court order regarding Ebreo’s application for probation.
Seeking probation is opting for a “reformatory processes” instead of serving jail term, the city legal officer explained.
In a way, “this is an admission of guilt,” Bayatan said.
Judge Pando, in the order dated Sept. 15, 2016, gave “due course” to Ebreo’s request after finding it “proper in form and substance” and the convicted person qualified to seek probation.
The court directed Ebreo to report to the city’s probation officer within 72 hours from receipt of the order.
The probation officer shall investigate Ebreo’s behavior and submit a written report within 30 days from receipt of the order.
Pando said this will accordingly guide the court in determining whether or not Ebreo should be subjected to probation.
Ebreo was entrusted to the custody of Atty. Lorenzo Alminaza pending the court’s decision.
Aside from the jail term, the court also ordered Ebreo to pay Amago P2,000 for moral damages and P10,000 for attorney’s fees./PN
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
