MANILA, Philippines–The Court of Appeals gave the green light for the prosecution of a Japanese national for sexually and physically molesting his Filipina live-in partner.
In a seven-page decision, the appeals court, through Associate Justice Japar Dimaampao, dismissed Yoshihiko Sato’s petition seeking to nullify the ruling by Makati Regional Trial Court Judge Marisa Macaraig-Guillen denying his motion to withdraw the complaint for violation of Republic Act 9262 (Violence Against Women Act of 2004) in relation to RA 7610 (child abuse) filed by his fiancé, Maris Stella Degala.
Sato argued that the lower court committed grave abuse of discretion in handing out the decision when he escaped prosecution not for that offense but for multiple counts of qualified seduction with rape and serious illegal detention filed by Degala, which was dismissed by the Makati city prosecutor for insufficient evidence.
The appeals court, however, said the RTC had compelling reasons to deny the motion to withdraw the information against Sato and in adjudging that probable cause exists.
“It is our considered opinion that a full-blown trial is indispensable to determine whether the evidence for the prosecution is telling enough to establish petitioner’s (Sato) guilt beyond reasonable doubt,” the appeals court said.
The appellate court further said that Sato will be able to air out his defense and to prove his innocence during a full-blown trial.
“Trial on the merits is crucial to hear the defenses that may be brought to the fore by petitioner to exonerate himself from the accusations hurled against him,” the court added.
Court records showed that Degala filed charges against Sato in 2005 for violation of RA 9262 when he repeatedly beat her up whenever she refused to have sex with him. Her ordeal ended when she escaped from his home in Makati in July 2005.
Due to the dismissal of her complaint for qualified seduction with rape, she filed another case now pending before Judge Guillen. –Tetch Torres, INQUIRER.net
July 2025
Nutrition Month
“Give us much more than P50 increase
for proper nutrition!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations
against serious violations of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.
Accept National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
#WearMask #WashHands #Distancing #TakePicturesVideosturesVideos
July
3 July – International Day of Cooperatives
3 July – International Plastic Bag Free Day
5 July – World Youth Skills Day
7 July – Global Forgiveness Day
11 July – World Population Day
17 July – World Day for International Justice
28 July – World Nature Conservation Day
30 July – World Day against Trafficking in Persons
Monthly Observances:
Schools Safety Month
Nutrition Month
National Disaster Consciousness Month
Weekly Observances:
Week 2: Cultural Communities Week
Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise
Development Week
Week 3: National Science and
Technology Week
National Disability Prevention and
Rehabilitation Week
July 1-7:
National Culture Consciousness Week
July 13-19:
Philippines Business Week
Week ending last Saturday of July:
Arbor Week
Daily Observances:
First Saturday of July:
International Cooperative Day
in the Philippines
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
