Cell phone ring cost board member, driver P200 each
Jett Roxas
"Silent mode" has rang a new meaning for Iloilo provincial board member Jett Rojas.
Rojas had to pay a P200 fine on Wednesday after his cell phone rang during a court hearing at the Iloilo Regional Trial Court Branch 66 in Barotac Viejo town, 64.4 km north of Iloilo City.
The official was attending a summary hearing on a petition for a temporary restraining order against the2008 budget of the Iloilo provincial government when his cell phone unexpectedly rang shortly after the hearing started at around 9 a.m.
The ringing annoyed Judge Daniel Amular who was deliberating the proceedings. The judge promptly reprimanded Rojas for not observing court rules that all phones be put off or in silent mode during court hearings.
Amular initially ordered Rojas to pay a P500 fine. The board member apologized but asked the judge to lower the fine at P200, which the judge agreed.
After the interruption, Amular resumed presiding over the deliberations and heard arguments of opposing parties to the case.
But luck was apparently not on Rojas' side.
Shortly before the hearing ended around noon, the jam-packed courtroom was again startled by the ringing of another cell phone.
While Amular was determining the source of the ringing, a man hurriedly left the courtroom which prompted the judge to call the man back.
When the judge asked for his identity, the man was shown in television footages sheepishly pointing at Rojas.
Ernie Galopo turned out to be the driver of Rojas, eliciting laughter from lawyers and those present at the court room.
But Amular was not amused and also promptly reprimanded Galopo and ordered him to pay a P200 fine.
Rojas said he was also surprised when his cell phone sounded when he got a text message.
"I was sure that I placed it in silent mode and vibration alert. But it still sounded when I got the message," he said in a telephone interview.
He explained that he was using a new cell phone unit that was recently given to him by his daughter and was still familiarizing with its features. But he said he would have it checked at a repair shop to find out ifthere is anything wrong with his phone.
When asked if he paid for the fine of his driver, Rojas said he did not.
"It was his phone that rang, so he paid for it."