An answered prayer.鈥�
This was how a former canteen worker at the Capitol described the decision of Gov. Hilario Davide III to forego filing a criminal charge against her for stealing relief packs intended for typhoon victims in north Cebu.
Nessie Torralba, a 53-year-old mother, said the decision was the 鈥渂est Christmas gift鈥� she鈥檚 ever received.
The woman was fired from her job in the private canteen after she was caught on video by the Capitol鈥檚 closed-circuit television camera (CCTV) stealing food packs stored inside the Capitol on three different instances last Nov. 12, 28 and 29.
Torralba was turned over to the police on Dec. 9 but was released shortly after no complaint was filed.
Governor Davide said he changed his mind about filing a complaint and adopted the suggestion of the Provincial Legal Officer Orvi Ortega to halt the filing 鈥渋n the spirit of Christmas鈥�.
鈥淭his is really out of pity especially since it鈥檚 Christmas time. Maybe she was really in need. We do not know what really drove her to steal,鈥� Davide told reporters yesterday.
However, Davide said criminal actions will not be tolerated in the future.
Torralba, the breadwinner in a family of seven, expressed her joy over the second chance.
鈥淧werte gyud nakong lipaya kay mao ra gyud kini akong gipangayo ug gipangadgian sa Ginoo karong Pasko. Mao ni ang pinaka-nindot nakong nadawat nga pinaskohan,鈥� she told Cebu Daily 黑料社 over the phone.
(I am so happy because this was the only thing that I asked and prayed for to God this Christmas. This is the best Christmas gift I鈥檝e ever received.)
She said she offered a thanksgiving mass on Christmas eve at the Holy Cross Parish in barangay Basak Pardo in Cebu City.
Torralba had earlier tried to meet the governor to appeal to him not to press charges. When she couldn鈥檛 get an appointment, she aired her appeal in a local radio station where she cried and apologized to province officials on air.
鈥淎sa man intawn ko ug ikasukol kung ila gyud ko pasakaan ug kaso nga wala gyud mi kwarta,鈥� she said.
(How can I afford to defend myself if they eventually file a case against me when we don鈥檛 have any money.)
When she was first confronted by Capitol security personnel about the theft, she begged in tears not to be identified or charged.
Torralba said she brought home two bags of relief goods piled in a corridor of the Capitol building because her family was hard up after the hospitalization of her husband.
Each relief pack contained three kilos of rice, five tins of canned food, three packs of noodles and bottled water.
Torralba said she was immediately fired by her employer, Lourdes Catering Services, following the incident.
She said her husband suffered from high-blood pressure and needs daily medication.
鈥淲ala pa gyud ko鈥檡 trabaho karon. Nangita pa. Maayo unta naa maluoy nako unya tagaan ko nila ug trabaho,鈥� she said yesterday.
(I still don鈥檛 have work.聽 I鈥檓 still looking. I hope someone takes pity and gives me a job.)
Governor Davide yesterday said he reached his decision following the endorsement of the Provincial Legal Officer, who noted the woman鈥檚 persistent appeal.
鈥淎fter taking into account the surrounding circumstances on top of the incessant begging of the suspect for forgiveness, the Provincial Legal Office is overwhelmed by the spirit of Christmas which is the season for forgiveness, giving and sharing,鈥� wrote Ortega on Dec. 23.
For his part, Ortega said the Capitol will push for the prosecution of the woman if a similar violation is repeated.
鈥淭he Capitol has the right to file a case against her because it happened in the premises of the Capitol and involved relief goods. Next time in similar infractions, we will really push for prosecution,鈥� he said.
Cebu Daily 黑料社 tried to get the side of Torralba鈥檚 employer yesterday but the canteen was closed for the holidays.
Ortega said the canteen concessionaire was granted an extension to operate in the Capitol until the end of January 2014 after their contract expired last September 30.
After that, a committee will decide whether to conduct a rebidding for the canteen service, he said.