THE 82-year-old suspected abortionist who was arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 gained liberty after the Talisay City Prosecutor’s Office issued a release order.
The NBI 7 agents caught Amparo Lumagbas Gemerangan during an entrapment in Barangay Mohon, Talisay City on April 29, 2021.
Several equipment used in aborting a fetus were reportedly recovered from Gemerangan.
However, Talisay City Prosecutor Marshall Rubia found the evidence lacking to merit probable cause.
NBI 7 Director Rennan Augustus Oliva, for his part, believed there is enough evidence to indict the octogenarian.
The criminal complaints against Gemerangan were refiled by the NBI 7. A preliminary investigation will be conducted by the prosecutor’s office, which will summon Gemerangan to answer the allegations against her.
The other alleged abortionists and Gemerangan’s alleged cohorts were caught in Cebu City. The charges against them were accepted by the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office.
Joey Guirigay, Francisca Rebamonte, Gloria Gabutin and Maryteiss Rural are facing complaints for for intentional abortion, a violation of Article 255 of the Revised Penal Code, in relation to Republic Act 10175, or Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
The group allegedly ran their abortion operation by attracting despondent pregnant women through the social media.
To recall, an NBI 7 investigation showed Guirigay had allegedly set up a fake social media account to communicate with pregnant women who wanted an abortion, which is prohibited under Philippine laws.
Clients were allegedly guided by Rebamonte, who offered them two packages for the abortion--first, the cheaper option, which was to buy an “abortive” medicine worth P9,500 from Gabutin; second, the expensive option, which was to undergo abortion at the “abortion clinic” in Talisay City run by Gemarangan and Rural, her assistant, for P30,000. (ANV)