Friday, April 25, 2008 Grandma arrested for abortion By Annabelle L. Ricalde
AGENTS of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)-Northern Mindanao arrested a suspected seasoned abortionist in an entrapment in Cagayan de Oro Thursday morning.
Pacita Pacardo, 78, was arrested inside her house in Lapaz I, Barangay Lapasan, with the help of a concerned individual who reported Pacardo's illegal practice to the NBI.
A bed sheet with a blood stain along with two packs of surgeon's gloves, cotton, bottles of antiseptic solution and alcohol, and several sticks believed to be abortion paraphernalia were seized by the NBI inside Pacardo's bedroom.
Also confiscated from Pacardo's position was the P1,500 cash given to her as marked money by a pregnant wife who posed as a would-be client. The NBI contracted the services of the decoy upon receiving complaints on Pacardo's alleged illegal activities.
NBI's agent-on-case James Mendez said Pacardo has made a name for herself in the area as an abortionist for several years already.
Mendez said Pacardo, a widow, has even gained notoriety for allegedly performing abortion procedures on seven-month old fetuses.
But Pacardo vehemently denied the accusations, saying she was a mere "hilot" since 1975 and she has no knowledge about the abortion.
"Manghihilot raman ako gani dili man ko mangayo og bayad mag-agad lang kung naay itunol sa kustomer," Pacardo told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro.
But the would-be client, whose name is withheld for security reasons, disclosed that she and Pacardo agreed for an abortion procedure for a fee of P2,500. She said the suspect relented to lower down the fee for P1,500 after a brief negotiation.
The suspect then ordered the would-be client to lie down on a bed. But before the illegal procedure could start, NBI agents swooped down on Pacardo's two-storey house.
Pacardo insisted that she was not afraid to die in prison, as she is innocent of the charges against her.
NBI-Northern Mindanao said charges of intentional abortion will be charged against the suspect.
If proven guilty, the suspect could face up to 20 years in prison.
