Saturday, August 19, 2006
Torres pleads guilty, gets shorter term
Robbery suspect Rey Torres changed his plea to guilty and got a shorter jail term for the East West Bank robbery, where four men grabbed close to P500,000 on Jan. 31, 2005.
The prosecution was supposed to continue presenting its evidence when Torres, assisted by lawyer Elmer Pacayra of the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO), said he wanted to withdraw his earlier plea of “not guilty.”
But Pacayra added that Torres would only plead guilty if the sentence does not exceed six years and one day.
Judge Eric Menchavez of the Regional Trial Court’s (RTC) Branch 21 sentenced Torres to two years up to six years and one day.
He was also ordered to pay P470,429.92, the same amount taken from East West Bank along Archbishop Reyes Ave., Cebu City.
Under Article 294 of the Revised Penal Code, for which Torres was charged, a guilty verdict carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
Only those sentenced to imprisonment of less than six years are qualified for parole. In the case of Torres, however, a prior conviction makes him ineligible for parole.
Last June 27, Torres was found guilty of the Penbank robbery in Bulacao, Talisay City in April 2005.
RTC Judge Ireneo Gako of Branch 5 has sentenced Torres to at least four years up to a maximum of eight years and four months in jail, for fleeing with P854,000 from the bank.
Torres also faces a frustrated murder charge before RTC Judge Ramon Codilla of Branch 19, for the shooting of Imelda Maghanoy, a manager of a beauty care center last Oct. 22, 2004.
Supt. Pablo Labra II believes that Torres decided to enter a guilty plea after he found that he would have trouble proving he was innocent.
In an interview with reporters yesterday, Labra said it was possible Torres decided to plea guilty to lessen his jail time.
Labra, chief of the Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Branch, led the seven-man team that arrested Torres in Barangay Monte Alegre, Aurora, Zamboanga del Sur in June last year.
It took a year and 15 robberies later for the police team to arrest Torres, who was once called Cebu City’s most wanted man.
Labra pointed out that Torres was already convicted for robbing the Peninsula Bank in Talisay City. He will not be surprised if Torres later admits to the other cases he is facing. (JGA/With MEA)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (August 19, 2006 issue)
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