Atty. Delon Urot, the lawyer of Mabolo Barangay Captain Niña Mabatid, expressed that he might withdraw as counsel if the village chief would still not show up in the rescheduled hearing on Monday, July 30.
Mabatid was supposed to take the witness stand today to testify that she is still a resident of Mabolo, despite owning a residential property in Barangay Talamban.
But the newly elected barangay captain was not able to attend the trial since she needed time to decide on her bid as president of the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) Cebu City.
Today, July 26, is the last day of the filing of the Certificate of Candidacy (COC) for the ABC elections.
Urot asked Presiding Judge Monalila Tecson of the Municipal Trial Courts in Cities (MTCC) Branch 1 to reset the hearing.
The rescheduled hearing falls on the same day of the election for ABC officers.
“She can cast her vote and immediately proceed here for the trial,” Urot told reporters after the trial was adjourned.
If Mabatid will not be presented in the witness stand in the rescheduled hearing, the court will not give credence to her judicial affidavit.