FORMER Bacolod City executive assistant Reynaldo “Butch” Ebreo was found guilty for slight physical injuries and sentenced to an imprisonment of 11 days for hitting colleague Marlou “Nonoy” Amago eight years ago.
The nine-page decision dated September 2, 2016 was signed by Municipal Trial Court in Cities Branch 4 Judge Francisco Pando.
The ruling was received on September 9 by private prosecutors Joselito Bayatan and Edward Joseph Cuansing, who are currently the city legal officer and secretary to the mayor, respectively, of the Leonardia administration.
In 2008, Ebreo, who was then the head of the Office of the Building Administrator, was charged after he hit Amago, who was then a foreman at the Department of Public Services.
As civil indemnity, the court ordered Ebreo to pay Amago P2,000 for moral damages and P10,000 for attorney’s fees.
When the incident happened in June 16, 2008, Ebreo was also an executive assistant under the Office of the Mayor.
Their encounter took place at the office of then Secretary to the Mayor Goldwyn Nifras when they were supposed to discuss the status of the casual employees under Ebreo’s jurisdiction.
Ebreo stepped on Amago’s left foot and punched him. Together with a certain Frank Tanoy, Ebreo continued to hit Amago but this time, Amago was able to parry their punches.
Nifras and some policemen stopped Ebreo and Tanoy from further attacking Amago. After the incident, Amago went to see the medico-legal officer for physical examination as he felt the pain of the blows from Ebreo especially on his left ribs.
Medico-legal officer Eli Cong found that Amago sustained a contusion. Amago got a police blotter of the incident.
The court said the physical assault on Amago was willful and deliberate.
Article 266 of the Revised Penal Code provides, among others, that the crime of slight physical injuries shall be punished by arresto menor when the offender has inflicted physical injuries which shall incapacitate the offended party for labor from one to nine days, or shall require medical attendance during the same period, it added.
