The controversial case between a female lawyer who was attacked with a baseball bat and the wife of Ronda Vice Mayor Jonah John Ungab is back to square one.
Judge Grace Veloso-Fernandez of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities Branch 8 in Cebu City ordered the Cebu City Prosecutors’ Office to reinvestigate the case.
The court also deferred an arraignment until the reinvestigation is done.
The prosecution asked for a reinvestigation after the case was downgraded from a complaint of frustrated murder to slight physical injuries.
Prosecutors said details presented by the camp of lawyer Jiecel Tiu should be looked into.
Jealousy appeared to be the trigger in the violent confrontation between Tiu, a former law firm associate of Vice Mayor Ungab, and the official’s wife Pearl last Feb. 26 in the parking lot of Tiu’s office in Cebu City.
Tiu accused the wife of ramming her car and hitting her with a baseball bat.
The wife, who pursued the lawyer in a car chase, accused Tiu of having an illicit affair with her husband.
Prosecutor Liceria Lofranco-Rabillas downgraded the charges against Mrs. Ungab to slight physical injuries saying the wife showed “no intention to kill”.
Tiu’s medical certificate showed that she suffered a hematoma or deep bruise in the left ear, left shoulder, left knee and hand, aside from scratches and cuts.
She was discharged from the Cebu City Medical Center immediately after treatment of her wounds.
Tiu and her lawyers asked the court to order the prosecutors to revisit the case.
They said Mrs. Ungab had the intent to kill Tiu and that the proper charge should be elevated to frustrated murder.