Victims assured of Rasuman's arraignment
-A A +AThursday, January 31, 2013
THE City Prosecutor's Office (CPO) assured on Thursday the public and the complainants that the arraignment of Jahcob “Coco” Rasuman will take place soon.
City Prosecutor Fidel Macauyag said there are certain procedures to be followed due to pending motions filed by one of the respondents.
“Pero diyan rin papunta sa arraignment. Ma-arraign din si Coco,” Macauyag assured.
On Wednesday, Rasuman, primary respondent in the P247-million investment scam, was supposed to be arraigned for the case of syndicated estafa filed by individuals who were allegedly duped by his company.
The arraignment was supposed to be held at Branch 20 and 23 at the Cagayan de Oro Hall of Justice.
However, the presiding judge postponed the arraignment reportedly due to the pending petition to quash information filed by one of the respondents, Sultan Yahya “Jerry” M. Tomawis.
Prosecutors of the 14-member panel from the Department of Justice (DOJ) in Manila, led by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Edna Valenzuela, who flew to Cagayan de Oro for the arraignment, said they were frustrated with the postponement.
When pressed if it was part of the delaying tactics of the defense, Macauyag said he is not sure of it.
“If that is the purpose, then this would not be a good idea. It will only prolong the agony of the respondents dahil mas tatagal ang pag-stay ni Coco sa kulungan,” he said.
For his part, Tomawis' legal counsel, lawyer Alejandro Jose Pallugna, clarified that the filing of motion to quash is not part of the delaying tactics of the defense.
According to Pallugna, it is not beneficial for Rasuman if the case will be delayed considering that he is now detained.
"Nakita man gud namo nga dili sila dapat kasohan og syndicated estafa kay investment man kini, just like kung mag-invest ka sa cooperative unya ma-bankrupt, kasohan diay ang cooperative?” he said.
The presiding judge has moved the arraignment to February 8.
Published in the Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro newspaper on February 01, 2013.
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