FREED. Volunteer lawyer Benjamin Candari Jr. (right) asks sugar migrant worker Conrado Evangelista how he feels after receiving a copy of the Court Order dismissing the theft complaint against him and his six companions on Sunday (Oct. 13, 2019). The sugar migrants who ventured to work in the sugar fields of Negros Occidental were accused of stealing cane knives in 1993. (PNA photo by Annabel Consuelo J. Petinglay)
SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – Six sugar migrants or sacadas here, together with the son of their missing companion, rejoiced after receiving copies of the court dismissal of theft charges filed against them while they were working in a sugar field in Negros Occidental 26 years ago.
In an interview on Sunday, Conrado Evangelista, together with his fellow sugar migrant workers who went to the said province to find a living then, said they were ecstatic to receive justice on the accusation that they stole 20 cane knives which they used to cut sugarcane on Sept. 21, 1993.
“We are so happy that finally there is now a court decision dismissing the case against us,” he said in the Antique local dialect Kiniray-a.
Evangelista said they vehemently deny the accusation as they never stole the cane knives. He said the case was just filed to scare them off from leaving their workplace.
“It caused us so much worry though because the case had been pending in the court for many, many years,” he said.
Evangelista, together with his companions Franklin Sanchez, Adelino Sanchez, Jr., Marcelo Cornelio, Silveriano Tobias, Zaldy Aldemita and Reynaldo Dalumpines who went missing, only received temporary liberty after posting a bail bond, but said they were still worried about being rearrested anytime.
The sugar migrant workers were grateful for the dismissal of the case through the help of the Antique provincial government through its Sugar Migrant Desk, and Antiqueño volunteer lawyer Benjamin Candari Jr.
Candari, who handed copies of the court dismissal to each of the accused sugar migrant worker at the Kanyugan Restaurant here on Sunday, said the case was dismissed because the owner of the stolen cane knives and the complainant had already died.
The prosecution also manifested during the hearing that they had no more other witnesses to be presented in court.
“Considering that the prosecution will not be able to prove the guilt of the accused beyond reasonable doubt and finding merit on the grounds stated by the defense counsel, the motion is granted,” said Municipal Trial Court in Cities Sixth Judicial Region Presiding Judge Eunice Tan Suansing in her dismissal order dated October 4, 2019.
Meanwhile, Governor Rhodora Cadiao, as part of the assistance from the Sugar Migrant Desk, led the distribution to each of the six migrant workers a PHP5,000 cash aid, livelihood project in the form of goat for breeding, and five kilos of rice as food subsidy. (PNA)
