DOJ SECRETARY VOWS TO INVESTIGATE INCIDENT

By ALEX P. VIDAL

PhilEXIM director files criminal complaint vs Chinese engineer.

The director of the Philippine Export-Import Credit Agency (PhilEXIM) based in Makati City, has filed a criminal complaint for grave threat, grave coercion, grave oral defamation and unjust vexation against a Chinese national who is site engineer of a government project in Brgy. Cubay, Jaro district, Iloilo City.

In a complaint filed before the city prosecutors office on February 8, Quirino “Quin” B. Baterna alleged that in the afternoon of February 4, 2008, Lao Chou of China Water, contractor of the Iloilo flood control project in the boundary of Brgy. Cubay and Brgy. Balabago in Jaro, shouted at him and badmouthed him while he was taking pictures on the heavy trucks and heavy equipment owned by China Water on the project site.

The incident happened after Baterna went to the barangay hall to complain regarding the heavy trucks and heavy equipment going in and out of Brookside Subdivision and Datu Puti Subdivision, both located inside Brgy. Cubay.

Village chief Quirico R. Catamin and his two councilors Ernie Cayanan and John Beloria then accompanied Baterna to the project site.

PICTURES

In his affidavit, Baterna, who is also president of Quin Baterna Realty Corp., said that “while I was taking pictures on the heavy trucks and heavy equipment on the site, a Chinese man, a site engineer whom I later identified as Mr. Lao Chou hurriedly ran towards and shouted at me: “stop taking pictures and go away”.

Baterna said Chou “uttered invective words in Chinese language, in my interpretation, ‘you SOB, you have no business here, this is a government project. If you will insist, I will arrest you or shoot you.”

Baterna said he answered Chou “in a mild manner” by saying “I am only getting pictures of the heavy equipment and heavy trucks that entered our subdivisions without our permission and consent and in fact the barangay officials are here.”

KUNG FU

He alleged that Chou “got wild and again uttered invective words against me”; this time, Baterna said, Chou threatened to kick him “while at the same time pointed his fingers on my face and attempted to do a kung fu thrust unto my eyes but I just kept calm and prepared to defend myself. Mr. Chou continued with his threatening words by saying in a Chinese language which in my interpretation, ‘get out, get out from this place, you SOB who are you? If you will not stop taking picture I will kill you, who are you in this place? I do not know you, we have authority from our boss”.

After a few arguments, Baterna said the barangay officials “refrained Chou from attacking me.”

Meanwhile, Catamin, in his affidavit, confirmed that 16-wheeler heavy trucks and equipment and ten-wheeler trucks, heavy equipment mixer, and others, including some service vehicles owned by China Water “had been entering the said subdivisions and using roads without permission and consent of the homeowners and the subdivision owners.”

Catamin confirmed Baterna’s allegations and admitted having pacified Chou and Baterna.

For his part, Chou, who does not speak clear English, refused to comment. He is willing to ask forgiveness to Baterna, according to his superiors who also refused to give statements.

Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Raul Gonzalez, Sr. who was in the city prosecutors office when Baterna’s lawyer Janne B. Baterna filed the complaint, vowed to investigate the matter.

The multi-billion flood control project was conceptualized when Gonzalez was still congressman representing the lone district of Iloilo City. /MP