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Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Court grants pastor's motion to reduce bail
By Raquel C. Bagnol
THE Regional Trial Court (RTC) has granted the motion filed by a pastor who was accused of allegedly raping an 11-year-old daughter of his church member in Buhisan, Tibungco, Davao City this month.
In a one-page order dated May 18, Judge Wenceslao Ibabao of the RTC Branch 33 granted the motion to reduce bail bond of Jaime Villa Abrille, 51, a preacher at Pentecostal Holiness Church in Tibungco from P200,000 to only P100,000.
Ibabao granted Villa Abrille's motion because there was no serious objection from the prosecution panel.
The City Prosecutor's Office (CPO) earlier approved the filing of charges against Villa Abrille after finding probable cause to hold him for court trial.
Villa Abrille was arrested inside his house on April 28 following complaints filed by Mae (real name withheld for being a minor) who accused him of raping her in December 2004 when she was still 10 years old.
Mae said she was hesitant to report the incident immediately because she respected the pastor, whom she even called "daddy". The incident was, however, repeated on April 27 this year, Mae told Patricio.
Mae was requested by her mother to look after the child of their neighbor since Mae's mother had something to attend to. At that time, the suspect visited his piggery located just beside the victim's house.
Upon learning that Mae was alone, Villa Abrille went inside the victim's house and touched Mae's private parts.
Patricio said Mae allegedly told the pastor in vernacular, "you are bad and yet you have the gall to go to church."
Mae then decided to tell her mother what happened. Results of medical examination showed Mae was abused.
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (May 24, 2005 issue)
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