House staff nabbed for threatening cop

MANILA, Philippines - An employee of the House of Representatives was arrested and detained at the Batasan police station Wednesday after he allegedly used a gun to threaten a police officer over a traffic altercation in Quezon City.

Legislative Assistant II Robert Villanueva, 49, is facing charges of illegal possession of firearms and grave threats for reportedly trying to bully Senior Inspector Rodolfo Madriaga, 55, of San Jose del Monte, Bulacan with his unlicensed Norinco 9mm pistol.

Initial investigation showed that Madriaga was driving his Nissan Almera with conduction sticker VS-9574 along Commonwealth Avenue when the suspect, a resident of nearby New Capitol Estate I, approached and hurled invectives at him. 

The suspect then went back to his Mercedes Benz Kompressor, with license plate WPJ-448, and sped off.

Madriaga followed him and sought the assistance of police officers in the area.

Villanueva was later apprehended at the corner of Don Antonio and Don Faustino streets in Barangay Holy Spirit.

House employees said Villanueva, a married man, earned the ire of then Surigao del Norte congressman Constantino Navarro Jr. when he was allegedly caught by security guards sleeping naked after reportedly having sex with Navarro’s married daughter in the congressman’s office in 1997.

Villanueva was later dismissed administratively from the House but the Supreme Court ordered his reinstatement.