Castro files new case against Gigi Sanchez

Prosecutor Mary Ann Castro isn’t done yet.

She filed a case against her sister-in-law, Cebu Provincial Board Member Grecilda “Gigi” Sanchez, for allegedly using her position and power to go after her.

The feisty prosecutor, who is separated from Sanchez’s brother Leodegreco “Greco”, said she will file a separate petition before the Commission on Elections to disqualify Sanchez from the congressional race in Cebu’s third district.

These are on top of the six counts of libel that Castro filed last week over alleged defamatory text messages from Sanchez.

When sought for comment yesterday, Sanchez said it would be better for her to focus on her tasks in the Provincial Board than to dwell on Castro’s accusations.

“It’s ironic that she has been filing cases against me and then accuses me of using my position to run after her. Don’t you think it’s the other way around? Anyway, I’ll face these charges in due time. In the meantime, I have better and more productive things to do in the Capitol,” she said in a text message to Cebu Daily News.

In her complaint filed before the Ombudsman Visayas last Thursday, Castro accused Sanchez of “grave abuse of authority, unauthorized use of government-issued vehicle, and conduct prejudicial to public interest.”

Castro said Sanchez should be suspended pending investigation of the three administrative charges.

She also asked the anti-graft office to order the perpetual disqualification of Sanchez from government service.

Castro said Sanchez has been using her position as board member to compel law enforcement agencies to investigate the loss of a Ford Ranger 4×4 Wildtrak, which was registered in the name of Castro and her estranged husband Greco.

She also alleged that Sanchez used a government-issued vehicle, a black Hilux pick up, to transport Greco from the drug rehabilitation center in Argao to the Cebu City trial court from October 2013 to August 2015.

The conflict between Castro and Sanchez came to a head after Greco claimed on Oct. 26 that the Ford Ranger WildTrak was stolen.

He said only his wife has a duplicate key of the car. But Castro said she’s been looking for the vehicle, which was allegedly stolen in a car wash station in Cebu City last Oct. 15.

She had filed carnapping charges before the Cebu City Prosecutors’ Office against a certain Maricel Gregory and an unidentified man who, based on the testimony of a car wash boy, claimed ownership of the vehicle and took it away.