Man sentenced to eight years for stealing jewelry from ‘Teban’

A CEBU City judge convicted one of two persons accused of  forcibly taking P1.9 million worth of assorted jewelry inside the house of Provincial Board (PB) Member Julian “Teban” Daan in Talisay City five years ago.

Rameses Abatayo was found guilty of robbery and sentenced to five to eight years in prison. He was also ordered to pay P50,000 in moral damages and  P55,000—the worth of the wristwatch and necklace that was not recovered by the police.

Abatayo’s alleged cohort, Julius Racaza, was acquitted due to insufficiency of evidence to prove his participation in the robbery incident. Daan’s wife Yolanda was not satisfied with the ruling.

“Gamay ra kaayo ang penalty ni Abatayo. (The jail term imposed against Abatayo is too short),” she told CDN over the phone.

In his ruling, Judge Soliver Peras of the Regional Trial Court Branch 10 in Cebu City gave credence to Daan’s positive identification of Abatayo as the same person who went inside his home and stole several pieces of jewelry last March 16, 2011.

The board member’s house helper and neighbor also testified against Abatayo.

“This court observed that their manner of testifying before the court was concise, direct and straightforward. The positive identification of Abatayo shall prevail over the denial and alibi of the accused,” Peras said.