Man, councilor trade raps on Sinulog altercation

A 34-YEAR-OLD Cebu City resident accused Talisay City Councilor Eduardo “Digul” Gullas III of mauling him at a pizza outlet along Aboitiz Street, barangay Kamputhaw in Cebu City during last Sunday’s Sinulog celebration.

Raffy Gabuya Abadilla, a resident of barangay Pardo, Cebu City, claimed that he was about to leave the restroom between 9 and 10 p.m. when Gullas and his friends beat him up.

Abadilla sustained a bruise on his left eye.

He said the beating stopped only when his friends stepped in.

Eric Jefferson Cortes, 26, corroborated Abadilla’s statement.

Gullas, grandson of former congressman and mayoral candidate Eduardo Gullas, also went to the Cebu City police station 2 to file a complaint of unjust vexation against Abadilla.

Gullas alleged that he was headed to the pizza parlor’s restroom when one of Abadilla’s friends bumped him.

When he confronted him, Gullas alleged that he was punched from behind by Abadilla.

Gullas said he managed to block Abadilla’s punch but the blow hit his female friend Arden Fernan instead, shoving her back to a wall.

She reportedly sustained a bruised arm. Gullas said Fernan will file charges of physical injuries against Abadilla.

“I was already in the store with Fernan and my friends. Suddenly, we heard a screeching sound from the store’s door and I saw Mr. Abadilla carrying a knife and hitting the door as if he wanted to break it open. A security camera recorded that,” he said.

Gullas said the guard tried to stop Abadilla and his group but they got rowdy.

He said Abadilla tried to challenge him to a fight but they were driven out of the place by security only to return later.

“The incident which depicts me as a mad man and a troublemaker is unfair. I am innocent and I have not thrown any punch,” he said in a statement.

Gullas said the allegations were made by the Gullas family’s political critics to malign them.