SILAY City Councilor Warlito Go said Monday that he was very happy that after almost two years of waiting, justice was finally served to him.

This after the Silay City Prosecutor dismissed the case filed against him and several others for alleged violation of Republic Act (RA) 7610 or the Child Abuse Law and the Article 201 of the Revised Penal Code.

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Along those who were charged of the said violations were John Gareta Onate, Teresita Barbasa, and two other minors.

Onate and Barbasa were working as employees of the Wilmar Theater located at Burgos St., Barangay 2, Silay City.

On January 11, 2008, members of the Special Operations Group-Anti Illegal Drugs Special Operation Task Group led by then Police Senior Inspector Rico Santotome Jr. (now Police Chief Inspector), swooped down Silay City following the tip that the said theater allegedly owned by Go was showing pornographic movies.

Police said they were able to seize 32 pieces of pornographic video compact discs (VCDs and DVDs) and cash amounts from proceeds of the tickets.

Santotome also claimed that he himself saw the lewd motion pictures being shown on the theater’s widescreen. When they ordered the lights to be turned on, two minors were allegedly found inside the movie house.

But Go denied Monday that he owned the theater, adding the actions of the police who conducted the said raid was just “pure political harassment” against him.

In a six-page case dismissal decision, Silay City Prosecutor Maria Liza Lorraine Atotubo said the search operation conducted by Santotome and his troops was conducted “without” valid search warrant.

Go said he was very happy upon the fair ruling of justice, adding that he has the right and evidence to “clear his name” from the mess that was hurled against him and several others.

Santotome, meanwhile, said the dismissal of the case is somewhat “frustrating” on their (Santotome and company’s) part, saying the case turned into nothing just like the other cases filed by him at the Silay City Prosecutors Office with regard the Balbon Drug Case and numerous charges on violations of the Firecrackers Law in 2008 that were also dismissed.

Santotome also laughed at the decision, saying a search warrant is not applicable in cases of “in flagrante delicto,” meaning suspect/s are “caught in the act” of doing any offenses against the law. (JOC)