By The SUN
 |
| Bondoc says he will challenge all complaints filed by the PCG against him |
A Filipino male resident whose trial today for
criminal intimidation and assault was postponed due to a delay in getting
permission from the Consulate to allow a key witness for the prosecution to
testify, shouted at four other witnesses and a reporter outside court, calling
them “liars.”
It was the second outburst from defendant Ronald B.
Bondoc, whose trial on charges of criminal intimidation, assault and loitering
before Magistrate Philip Chan Chee-fai was called off and moved to Nov. 21 “for
mention.” Bondoc’s $500 bail was extended until then.
Bondoc appeared to have been angered when the court
was told by the prosecution that a Consulate officer who allegedly took a threatening
phone call from him could not be called as a witness, citing the Vienna
Convention which gives diplomatic immunity to officers of a foreign government.
 |
| PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE |
Chan called for a 30-minute break, and when all the
parties returned to the courtroom for the resumption of the hearing but before
the magistrate could enter, Bondoc shouted, “She’s a liar,” apparently
referring to Lhyndzie Anne M. Orozco,
the Consulate officer whose court appearance was in question.
According to the
charges, Bondoc threatened to burn down the Consulate and assault an officer
called “Arnel” during the telephone call which was answered by Mapor. An audio
recording of that call is set to be presented as evidence in the trial.
After the break, Chan
was told that the prosecution could still not get a definite answer from the
Consulate on whether Mapor could give evidence, so the magistrate adjourned the
case.
 |
| PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE |
During his outbursts
both inside and outside the courtroom, Bondoc also harangued journalists writing
on his case, saying they should be truthful in their reports. His common-law
partner tried to stop him, to no avail.
The two incidents were
witnessed by several people, including the lawyers for both sides, as well as
four prosecution witnesses waiting outside the courtroom, including two
Consulate staff and two Tagalog interpreters.
Later in the afternoon,
Consul Paul Saret, who heads the assistance to nationals section of the
Consulate, said Orozco had just been given permission to testify in the case by
the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila.
 |
| MAY CHANCE KA PANG MANALO! |
“Lhyndzie is good to
go to testify,” he said.
Saret said the
permission could not be sought earlier because the police had notified them
only last Thursday that Orozco was to be called as a witness.
Also set to give
evidence is a locally hired staff of the Consulate, Edmound R. Cortes, who was
allegedly pushed to the ground by Bondoc on Jan 24 this year, as he tried to
stop the defendant from wielding a golf club in the public area of the
Consulate.
 |
| PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE |
The third charge
pertains to Bondoc allegedly loitering in the lift lobby of the Consulate on
Mar 28, “causing concern” to the people around.
Also among those called
to testify is a local Chinese man tasked with providing security to the
Consulate and two Tagalog interpreters who assisted when Bondoc was arrested
and taken to the police station for questioning.
Bondoc had earlier pleaded “not guilty” to the
charges against him, and his lawyer said the defendant would cite “self defense”
in the common assault charge, and dispute the other charges.
 |
| PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE |
|
The lawyer said
Bondoc would produce two CCTV footages, each lasting between two to thre minutes,
as part of his defence. |
During earlier
hearings, the court was told the defendant was committed to Queen Mary Hospital after
his second arrest on Mar 28, complaining of feeling unwell.
He was later
transferred
to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, and then
to Siu Lam Psychiatric Centre, for further treatment.
But he was allowed to post bail when he next appeared in court on Apr 21.
