ANGELES CITY – “What fair trial can one expect with the complainant being the son of the judge and the executioner?”
Thus said businessman Ruperto “Perto” Cruz as he lashed at Barangay Cutcut Chairman Robin Nepomuceno and his son, Bryan, for lodging a complaint against him at the Cutcut Barangay Council in connection with a property dispute.
Cruz said he had received last week a road obstruction complaint (under case under No. 2009-08-07-A) from Bryan Nepomuceno, a lawyer who is reportedly eyeing a city council seat next year. The younger Nepomuceno is also identified as “ABC Legal Consultant” while his father is the ABC (Association of Barangay Captains) president.
“The property in question is owned by the Nepomuceno family. The complainant is a Nepomuceno who is the legal consultant of his father who happens to be the hearing officer who practically sits as judge in the hearing of this case. Yes, the same one whom I have accused of harassment. This is worse than a kangaroo court, said Cruz. “This is one more form of harassment from the Nepomucenos.”
In his summons, the elder Nepomuceno directed Cruz to “appear before me in person on 14th day of August 2009 at 10:00 o’clock in the afternoon then and there to answer Complaint before me…”
“I cannot possibly comply with the summons,” Cruz said. “The hour Nepomuceno set for my appearance — 10:00 o’clock in the afternoon – is non-existent in earthly time. This is ridiculous, if not stupid.”
“You are hereby warned that your refusal or willful failure to appear in obedience to this summons will bar you from filling any counterclaim arising from the said complaint. Fail not under penalty of law,” furthered the elder Nepomuceno in his summons.
Cruz co-owns the Royal Gardens Golf and Country Club in a joint venture with a Korean company at the Porac-Angeles City boundary where a poultry farm of the Nepomucenos is nearby situated.
As head of the Pinoy Gumising Ka Movement, Cruz has been at the spearhead of a campaign against poultry and piggery farms emitting foul odor and spawning swarms of flies that pose danger to the health of the people.
Cruz pointed out that it was not only his property that is being adversely affected by the “foul odor and the swarms of flies that go along with” as residents and housing developers in the area have also raised complaints.
On August 7, Cruz found an abandoned Range Rover luxury vehicle draped with a streamer reading “no trespassing, private property” blocking the road to the Royal Gardens. The vehicle was also decorated with violet ribbons.
Witnesses told Cruz that it was Barangay Chairman Robin Nepomuceno that left the vehicle at the site.
Bryan, in his letter to Robin, said that on “July 31 and August 6 Neplum was informed by the lessor of its poultry farm located adjacent to the Royal Garden Estates that the road leading to the property was blocked by tons of soil, and that Mr. Ruperto Cruz, owner of the Royal Garden Estates, caused the dumping.
Reached for his comments through a text message, Robin said “I will do that (give his statements soon).”
Thus said businessman Ruperto “Perto” Cruz as he lashed at Barangay Cutcut Chairman Robin Nepomuceno and his son, Bryan, for lodging a complaint against him at the Cutcut Barangay Council in connection with a property dispute.
Cruz said he had received last week a road obstruction complaint (under case under No. 2009-08-07-A) from Bryan Nepomuceno, a lawyer who is reportedly eyeing a city council seat next year. The younger Nepomuceno is also identified as “ABC Legal Consultant” while his father is the ABC (Association of Barangay Captains) president.
“The property in question is owned by the Nepomuceno family. The complainant is a Nepomuceno who is the legal consultant of his father who happens to be the hearing officer who practically sits as judge in the hearing of this case. Yes, the same one whom I have accused of harassment. This is worse than a kangaroo court, said Cruz. “This is one more form of harassment from the Nepomucenos.”
In his summons, the elder Nepomuceno directed Cruz to “appear before me in person on 14th day of August 2009 at 10:00 o’clock in the afternoon then and there to answer Complaint before me…”
“I cannot possibly comply with the summons,” Cruz said. “The hour Nepomuceno set for my appearance — 10:00 o’clock in the afternoon – is non-existent in earthly time. This is ridiculous, if not stupid.”
“You are hereby warned that your refusal or willful failure to appear in obedience to this summons will bar you from filling any counterclaim arising from the said complaint. Fail not under penalty of law,” furthered the elder Nepomuceno in his summons.
Cruz co-owns the Royal Gardens Golf and Country Club in a joint venture with a Korean company at the Porac-Angeles City boundary where a poultry farm of the Nepomucenos is nearby situated.
As head of the Pinoy Gumising Ka Movement, Cruz has been at the spearhead of a campaign against poultry and piggery farms emitting foul odor and spawning swarms of flies that pose danger to the health of the people.
Cruz pointed out that it was not only his property that is being adversely affected by the “foul odor and the swarms of flies that go along with” as residents and housing developers in the area have also raised complaints.
On August 7, Cruz found an abandoned Range Rover luxury vehicle draped with a streamer reading “no trespassing, private property” blocking the road to the Royal Gardens. The vehicle was also decorated with violet ribbons.
Witnesses told Cruz that it was Barangay Chairman Robin Nepomuceno that left the vehicle at the site.
Bryan, in his letter to Robin, said that on “July 31 and August 6 Neplum was informed by the lessor of its poultry farm located adjacent to the Royal Garden Estates that the road leading to the property was blocked by tons of soil, and that Mr. Ruperto Cruz, owner of the Royal Garden Estates, caused the dumping.
Reached for his comments through a text message, Robin said “I will do that (give his statements soon).”
