Thursday, July 28, 2005
Torres, carried to court on chair, pleads not guilty
Rey Torres, because of his amputated left leg, sat on the accused bench as he was read the robbery charge against him yesterday.
He pleaded not guilty to robbing East West Bank of close to P500,000 last Jan. 31.
Torres, who was represented by lawyer Annalou Fernandez of the Public Attorney’s Office, said he had nothing to do with the robbery on Archbishop Reyes Ave.
His arraignment happened without much fanfare, but the way he was brought to the court elicited curious stares and amusement from court employees and spectators.
Torres, who had no crutches with him, was made to sit on a chair that was carried by the jail guards to the third floor sala of Regional Trial Court Branch 21 Judge Eric Menchavez.
Some people commented that he was brought to the courtroom like a king or a prince.
The jail guards decided to carry 34-year-old Torres after he complained of difficulty in walking.
Torres, who is now detained at the Bagong Buhay Rehabilitation Center, also failed to post the P100,000 bail.
With Torres’ not guilty plea, Judge Menchavez scheduled the pre-trial of the robbery case on Sept. 14.
His three other alleged cohorts were not yet named in yesterday’s hearing.
Bank manager Kenneth Tan, who filed the case in behalf of the bank, alleged that Torres and his cohorts took a total of P470,429.92, including a cellular phone.
He said three armed men barged into the bank at 11:57 a.m. last Jan. 31, got the security guard’s gun and then announced a robbery.
Witnesses said two men on motorcycles were waiting outside the bank.
Security guard Sergio Longakit Dacles identified Torres as one of those who barged inside the bank.
A vendor near the bank also pointed to Torres as the one who carried a bag and was armed with a shotgun.
During a follow-up operation, police arrested Leo Cores, Roger Rupinta, Nolan Paradero and Jemar Torres Mansalinog.
The witnesses, however, only identified Mansa-linog, Torres’ nephew, as among those who robbed the bank.
But with Mansalinog’s death in a shootout last Feb. 16 in Barangay Busay, Cebu City, the case that would have been filed against him was considered dismissed.
Torres allegedly tried to rescue Mansalinog when his nephew was taken to the Palace of Justice. (GN)
(July 28, 2005 issue)
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