Three persons jailed for ‘deflowering’ Diversion Road

By: Jennifer P. Rendon

Three men were arrested in separate occasions for picking on flowers planted along B. Aquino Avenue (Diversion Road) in Mandurriao, Iloilo City early morning of Nov. 23, 2019.

The Iloilo City government’s green guards arrested the three suspects.

First to fall was RJ Villegas, 28, of Barangay Bolilao, Mandurriao, who was caught around 2:00 a.m.

More than an hour later, Alexis Nejana, 24, also of Bolilao village, was arrested along the service road at Barangay San Rafael.

Both claimed that they picked the flower as gifts for their respective girlfriends.

At 4:30 a.m., roving green guards caught Daniel Soropia, 18, of Barangay Divinagracia, La Paz. The teenager came from a discotheque and was on his way home when he swung his hand that accidentally cut a sunflower.

Police Major Marlon Valencia, Mandurriao police chief, said the three would be charged for malicious mischief.

They are still detained at the lock-up cell of Mandurriao Police Station.

Mayor Jerry Treñas had ordered a crackdown on persons picking on flowers and uproot plants in the city’s public spaces.