Nueva Vizcaya mayor in trouble over bigamy raps

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya — A local chief executive in this northern Philippine province is in hot water for allegedly taking more wives than what the law allows. The respondent - Nestor Sevillena, reelected mayor of Bagabag town – has been indicted for bigamy after his purported marriage in 2000, which occurred even before a court could conclude the process of nullifying a previous one in 1984. Documents show that the Sevillana and a certain Amy Nadugo of Lamut town in Ifugao province were married through civil rites by then Bagabag Mayor Jose Castillo in January 1984. He re-married in December 2000 – this time to Amida Afan in a wedding ceremony officiated by a pastor. In his argument, the Sevillana said the case should have been dismissed because the complainants Dionisio Velasco Jr. and Antonio Nival are not the offended parties and thus were not directly knowledgeable of the allegations. The Office of the Ombudsman had denied a motion for reconsideration filed in December 2009, seeking for the reversal of a November 2006 court ruling that recommended an indictment for bigamy against the mayor. The local court in its ruling cited that bigamy is a public offense and thus any civic-spirited citizen can file a case and act as agent of the state. Furthermore, it noted that a judicial declaration of nullity from a previous marriage is necessary before another marriage can be legally contracted. Sevillena, 48, is also facing a perjury case stemming from alleged false statements he made in his defense of the bigamy charge. A joint resolution from the office of the Ombudsman, recommending the filing of perjury case, disclosed that Sevillana had falsely declared under oath that he did not have a license from the second marriage. But the court was able to disprove his claims. Sevillena was subsequently indicted for bigamy and a case was recommended to be filed at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court. The beleaguered mayor is currently married to Maybelle Dumlao, 31, who won her third term as member of the provincial board last elections. In 2008, the two, both of the Nacionalista Party, were wedded in Islam rites at the Darul-Imam Mosque in Solano town. But in his certificate of candidacy for mayor filed in November 2009, Amy Nadugo, his wife from the first marriage, was listed as his spouse. On the other hand, Dumlao who filed her candidacy for the provincial board during the same period has listed Nestor Sevillena as her husband. — Floro Taguinod/LBG/RSJ, GMANews.TV