“I remained seated while eating popcorn because of stomach upset due to missed meals,” Gonzalez told Punto at the jail of the Police Station 4 near the mall theater where he was arrested upon the instigation of diplomat Elmer Cato, charge d’affaires of the Philippine embassy in Iraq.
Cato, who is a native of this city, was in the movie theatre where Justice League was showing.
He said he had asked Gonzalez twice to stand up at the start and during the singing of the national anthem but that the latter ignored him.
Cato then called for police assistance in arresting Gonzalez for violating Republic Act 8491 or the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines.
A female companion of Gonzalez, who asked not to be identified, confirmed that her friend had been complaining of stomachache.
“He was eating popcorn because I suggested that he did to relieve the pain which must have been due to acid. He is also a drinker (of alcoholic beverages),” she said, adding that it was she who treated him to the movie.
Gonzalez said he was overtaken by developments in the theater after he was confronted by Cato. “I was not really able to explain my predicament.
As if suddenly, there were cops who were holding and carrying me by the arm,” he said.
Gonzalez, who hails from Paniqui, Tarlac, said he was in Angeles to look for a job as a web developer at the Clark freeport.
He said he had just arrived a few days earlier for job hunting and had been staying in the boarding house of a friend here.
“I am the eldest of five children and I had planned to support my younger siblings when I land a job,” he said.
He became teary-eyed when asked whether he already had informed his parents in Paniqui about his case.
His female companion answered for him instead, saying “He is sentimental about that because he has a broken family.”
The law prescribes imprisonment of not more than one year or a fine of not more than P20,000 or both for violators of RA 8491.
Police Station 4’s Senior Insp. Joven Rodriguez said Gonzalez was inquested immediately after his arrest last Friday. “It’s really up to the court now, but I suppose he could just post bail in the meantime.” He said bail in Gonzalez’s case is normally affordable.
