Handcuffs, hospital arrest for Jalosjos
A photo sent by defense lawyer Inocencio dela Cerna shows him with his client, former mayor Dominador Jalosjos, who is confined at the Cebu Doctors’ Hospital. No handcuffs were visible at the time the photo was taken.
The lawyer of former Dapitan City mayor Dominador Jalosjos expressed disappointment over the decision of jail officials to handcuff his client to his hospital bed since Friday evening.
“My client won’t run away. He has a heart ailment and if he decides to escape, he would be ending his life,” lawyer Inocencio dela Cerna said of Jalosjos, who had been confined at Cebu
Doctors’ Hospital since last Thursday to prepare for heart surgery.
Officers of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology’s (BJMP) said the move was standard procedure in dealing with people placed under hospital arrest.
BJMP officers took custody of Jalosjos on orders of Cebu City Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Soliver Peras.
Dela Cerna said he will ask the court to have the cuffs removed.
An arrest warrant was issued against Jalosjos for a robbery conviction in 1970. He never served the sentence and filed a falsified certification that he had already served probation.
Jalosjos, elder brother of convicted rapist Romeo Jalosjos, has opted to no longer seek legal remedy and to just face imprisonment for the sentence of one year and six months.
“We assure the public that he (Jalosjos) will face the consequences of the case,” dela Cerna said.
Dela Cerna, who took over Jalosjos’ case last year, said they wrote the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group to express Jalosjos’ intention to surrender after an arrest warrant was issued by the court.
Police agents served the warrant on Thursday at the private hospital where Jalosjos is occupying a suite.
Jalosjos, 72, is reportedly scheduled for surgery for a “coronary heart disease.” His doctor, surgeon Peter Mancao, was ordered to appear before Judge Peras on Jan. 29 to explain why Jalosjos needs to remain at the hospital.
Dela Cerna said Jalosjos’ hospital confinement would be considered part of serving the sentence and that he would also ask the court to reduce the penalty because his client is already old.
Jalosjos was found guilty of highway robbery by the Court of First Instance in Cebu City involving P700 in 1969.
He was sentenced to one year and six months in jail and prohibited from permanently holding public office. Jalosjos applied for probation which was granted, but the court later cancelled it when he didn’t regularly report to a probation officer.
Jalosjos was elected and served three terms as Dapitan mayor. He used a falsified certification that he had served his probation. A political opponent dug up his records when he tried to run for governor of Zamboanga del Sur in 2013.
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