Cebu SK members in vote-buying freedBy RHEA RUTH ROSELLhome/News/Regions/Cebu SK members in vote-buying freedTHE Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office ordered the release from detention of the Sangguniag Kabataan (Youth Council or SK) members and three others who were arrested for vote-buying after the case filed against them by the police was dismissed for lack of probable cause. Kyle Baricuatro, 21, an SK member of Barangay Cogon Ramos; John Paul Mahinay, 18, SK secretary of Barangay Cogon Ramos; Theodoric Pepito, 33; and Anjo Pepito, 31, were arrested for alleged vote-buying in Barangay Cogon Central Ramos in Cebu City on May 11. In a joint resolution of the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office dated May 15, Prosecutor Maria Theresa Calibugan Casiño found insufficient evidence to indict the suspects for lack of probable cause. Lawyer Armando Virgil Ligutan, who received a copy of the fiscal’s resolution on Thursday, said his clients were traumatized after their arrest. Mahinay was allegedly caught in the act of giving money to Baricuatro, Theodoric and Anjo to vote for Sangguniang Panlungsod (City Council) member Jerry Guardo of Cebu City, who ran for reelection under the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan, the regional political party of outgoing Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña.

Source: Manila Times May 18, 2019 16:07 UTC