JUDGE ORDERS IMMIGRATION TO ISSUE GABBY C. HOLD DEPARTURE ORDER
METRO MANILA, MAY 9, 2008 (STAR) By Sandy Araneta - The Manila Regional Trial Court ordered the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to issue a hold departure order (HDO) against actor Gabby Concepcion in connection with the bigamy charges filed against him.Judge Jansen Rodriguez of the Manila RTC Branch 6, held a pre-trial hearing on the bigamy charges filed against Concepcion filed by Mamerto dela Cruz of E. Rodriguez corner Mercury St., Libis, Quezon City. The court set another pre-trial on June 15.
In a three-page court order, Rodriguez granted the prosecution’s motion to issue an HDO against Concepcion and directed the BI to issue an HDO against Concepcion.
Rodriguez also granted the motion to increase the bail of the accused.
Concepcion’s lawyer Ed Flaminiano had earlier filed a motion for reconsideration (MR) and sought the reversal of the court order on the HDO.
Lawyer Riza Endozo, branch clerk of court, said the court has yet to receive the MR filed by the defense.
“As regards the first circumstances, the public prosecutor argues that there has been an increase in the bail of bigamy as stated in the Bail Bond Guide issued by the Department of Justice. From P12,000 the same is now set at P24,000,” said the judge in the court order.
“The court holds the issuance of a hold-departure order against the accused is warranted, considering the accused has been at large for almost 12 years having fled to the United States (US) in December, 1995 and is now an American citizen, who as stated earlier may depart from the country anytime he wishes,” said Rodriguez.
Last April 21, Concepcion pleaded not guilty to bigamy charges before the Manila RTC Branch 6.
Concepcion earlier posted bail P12,000 bail for bigamy. But during April 21 arraignment, the prosecution filed a manifestation that the bail bond be increased to P24,000.
In an amended information, Assistant City Prosecutor Manuel Sta. Cruz Jr., said “that on July 23, 1984, Concepcion, being then legally married to Jennifer Martin, and without such marriage, having been legally dissolved, did then and there willfully unlawfully and feloniously contract a second or subsequent marriage with actress Sharon Cuneta.”
Concepcion returned to the country on March 30, 2008 after spending several years in the United States.
The actor had also posted a P6,000 bail last March 31, at the Manila Metropolitan Trial Court (MTC) that had previously issued a warrant of arrest against Concepcion in connection with a separate charges of falsification of public documents.
Flaminiano earlier said the “falsification of public document through omission” was slapped against Concepcion because of the supposedly an “ante-dated” entry of his application for a marriage license in the Manila Civil Registry.
Lawyer of Concepcion earlier explained that it was only now that his client managed to post bail because he was in San Francisco for many years.
Concepcion pleaded not guilty when arraigned on the charges of falsification of public documents before the Manila Metropolitan Trial Court last April 30.
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2008
by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
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