By Daisy CL Mandap
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| Footage taken at the Consulate's lift lobby on the day the accused allegedly loitered outside |
A Filipino resident is to stand trial on Oct. 31 after he pleaded not guilty earlier today to three charges relating to his alleged threat to burn down the Consulate, assaulting a staff member and loitering in the premises, causing concern.
Ronald B. Bondoc, 41, replied “not guilty” to each of the
three charges as they were read out to him in
The accused, whose occupation is listed in the charge sheet as an architectural designer, had asked the court to dispense with a court interpreter earlier, saying he could understand and speak English.
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| PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE |
When Magistrate Yim asked what the defense would be, Bondoc’s lawyer said “self defense” would be raised in the common assault charge.
But, he added, “My instruction is that they (charges) will all be disputed.”
The lawyer said Bondoc would produce two CCTV footages, each lasting between two to three minutes, as part of his defence.
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In turn, the prosecution said it would call three witnesses, including the arresting officer and an interpreter.
The trial will last for two days, or from Oct 31 to Nov 1,
also at
Yim extended Bondoc’s bail of $500 on the same terms until his next court appearance. He was also told to submit to the prosecution his statement of facts and list of exhibits by Oct 25.
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No one from the Consulate was around for the hearing of the case. Bondoc, on the other hand, was accompanied to court by his Filipina partner and their baby.
In the first charge of criminal intimidation, Bondoc is
alleged to have called up the Consulate on Jan 22 this year and threatened to
burn down its office on the 14th floor of
The call was answered by female staff member Lhyndzie Anne Mapor.
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The second charge, which is for common assault, resulted from Bondoc’s alleged act of pushing to the ground another staff, Edmound R. Cortes, who had allegedly tried to stop him entering the Consulate on Jan 24.
In the third charge, he was accused of loitering in the lift lobby of the Consulate on Mar 28, “causing concern.”
The charge said, “your presence there alone caused any person reasonably to be concerned for (their) safety or well-being.
The intimidation charge replaced an earlier one for “possession of offensive weapon in a public place,” in which Bondoc was originally accused of carrying a 60cm long metal bar into the lift lobby of the Consulate on Mar 28.
During earlier hearings, the court was told the defendant
was committed to
He was later transferred to
But he was allowed to post bail when he next appeared in court on Apr 21.
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