Lawyer rejects political motive in alleged city official assault

By Joseph Bernard A. Marzan

The lawyer representing a complainant in an alleged assault case involving a former barangay captain in Iloilo City rejected claims that the complaint was politically motivated, saying the case is about “accountability and justice” rather than politics.

In a statement dated June 10, lawyer Danielle Naciongayo-Robles reiterated that the complaint of “Julia” stemmed from an incident that allegedly occurred early in the morning of May 17, 2026.

Bellosillo allegedly struck the complainant and her companions several times with the wooden handle of a broom, resulting in bruises and other injuries.

Bellosillo is the chief of staff to Iloilo City Mayor Raisa Treñas-Chu and a former barangay captain of Barangay Simon Ledesma in Jaro district.

The lawyer noted that the complainant sought counsel on May 17 — the same day as the alleged incident — and also obtained a medico-legal report from the West Visayas State University Medical Center the following day, May 18.

“We issue this statement to clarify and reiterate that this case is not a political attack. […] This matter concerns accountability and justice for what the complainant and her companions allegedly suffered during the early morning of May 17, 2026,” Naciongayo-Robles said.

The lawyer also noted delays in securing the police blotter, which was released by the Iloilo City Police Station 9 on May 25, after multiple follow-ups by the complainant.

The complainant later filed a barangay complaint on the same day the blotter was released, according to the statement.

The initial hearing before the punong barangay was held on Saturday, June 7.

“The chronology speaks for itself,” the lawyer stated, arguing that the complainant pursued legal action before any media coverage emerged.

The statement said the complainant only sought media assistance on June 8 after allegedly feeling “intimidated and overwhelmed by the circumstances surrounding the hearing.”

The lawyer also disputed public statements made by Barangay Captain Amadeo P. Sultan of Barangay Simon Ledesma regarding the alleged incident.

The statement cited Sultan’s June 8 radio interview, in which he said the respondent admitted to hitting the complainant and her companions.

The statement quoted Sultan as saying, “Ti kay wala ko kakilala kay iban related na sa droga tong mga bisita nila. Namonitor namon kay taga-Benedicto na.” (I did not know [them] because some had related drug [cases]. We monitored [them] because they were from Benedicto.)

This was contradicted by Barangay Captain Abelardo Salting of Barangay Benedicto, who said in a June 9 interview with Aksyon Radyo Iloilo that one of the individuals involved was not included in his barangay’s list of persons monitored by the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council.

Sultan later appeared to walk back his earlier remarks in a June 9 interview, saying the respondent did not strike the complainant and her companions hard but merely “ginparaspas lang sila.” (They were just smacked.)

“These varying public statements only underscore the need for the facts to be examined carefully, objectively, and fairly through the proper legal processes,” the lawyer said.

The lawyer also criticized attempts to link the case to politics on the basis that one of the complainant’s companions allegedly had ties to another political group.

Sultan also told Bombo Radyo Iloilo that “Julia” may have been drawn into the political dispute by the “Pulahan,” or “reds.”

While Sultan made no direct reference to any specific group, the color red is commonly associated in Iloilo City politics with the camp of lone district Rep. Julienne Baronda and her sister, Vice Mayor Lady Julie Grace Baronda.

“Any attempt to portray this case as politically motivated solely because one of the persons who accompanied the complainant happened to be associated with a different political organization is misleading, incomplete, and unwarranted,” the statement read.

The lawyer urged the public to allow the legal process to proceed without political speculation.

“At the end of the day, this case should be resolved not through political narratives, public commentary, or speculation, but through evidence and the lawful processes established for that purpose,” the statement said.