ComVal dad to face mauling charges
by RG Alama
Davao City (16 November) -- Compostela Valley Board Member Neri Nonong Barte said he will face the charges filed against him before the Office of the Ombudsman for allegedly mauling a radio broadcaster inside a radio station.
Speaking before members of the media during the monthly Kapihan sa Kapitolyo held at the Provincial Capitol in Nabunturan, Barte denied he attack broadcaster Roel Sembrano last October 24 inside the radio station's booth. Barte said he will face the charges lodged in the Ombudsman in due time.
"I have not yet received the copy of the Ombudsman complaint." Barte said.
Last November 8, Roel Sembrano filed criminal charges of grave coercion, grave threats, physical injury and an administrative case of grave abuse of authority against Barte for mauling him inside the Radyo Natin broadcaster's booth last October 24.
During the filing several Davao-based journalists and radio broadcasters trooped to the office of the Deputy Ombudsman for Mindanao to support Sembrano.
Barte on the other hand, decried Sembrano's act saying that the broadcaster went overboard in his attacks which even affected his family. "He did not approach me to listen to my side on the issues he raised against me and worst he included my family in his attacks."
The board member said Sembrano has been regularly attacking him and his family on radio since April, just before the 2007 national and local elections. According to the Board Member in his on-air tirades Sembrano was saying that he wants to hear Barte's daughter cry.
"What kind of person would salivate hearing a person cry?" Barte said in vernacular. The BM also disclosed that Sembrano is not an accredited KBP (Kapisanan ng mga Broadcaster's ng Pilipnas) member since he did not renew his KBP membership, Barte said that Sembrano has no contract for his radio program at the Lovely FM radio station.
Aside from facing the charges the Board Member is planning to counter-sue Sembrano for libel. (PIA) [top]