Man withdraws not guilty plea, admits voyeurism rap

A MAN accused of taking a video footage inside a women's restroom of a hotel in June 2011 withdrew his not guilty plea and admitted the charges filed against him.

Mark Maglacion Romero, through Public Attorney's Office lawyer Rudy Alonzo, dropped his earlier plea and entered a guilty plea "provided that the penalty shall be within the range where the accused may apply for probation."

Romero was charged with violation of Republic Act (RA) 9995, otherwise known as Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism Act of 2009, after Prosecutor Gaye Magdagasang found probable cause to hold him for court trial.

He took a video footage of an employee of Nestlé Philippines Inc. while the latter was inside the comfort room.

Under the law, anyone who violates RA 9995 shall be sentenced three to five years of imprisonment.

However, Romero filed his application for probation on May 9. The court granted it given due course to process it before the Parole and Probation Administration (PPA).

Records from the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 17, where the case was raffled off, showed that the complainant was sent by the company to be a speaker in a conference held at a city hotel on June 20-21.

In an affidavit, the complainant said the incident happened inside the hotel's ladies restroom around 11:20 a.m. of June 21.

She was inside the first cubicle when she noticed that the rattan garbage bin was moving.

She became suspicious, so she checked on the bin and saw a cellular phone with its camera focused on her.

The complainant sought for help, prompting the respondent to come out from the second cubicle of the ladies' comfort room.

The respondent asked for forgiveness and admitted his wrongful act, thus the filing of the case. (ANC)