Reports from the leading television and newspaper on Thursday September 3, 2009 said, Rachel “Che” Tiongson, common-law wife of 68 year old former Ilocos Sur governor Luis 'Chavit' Singson, was physically abused and made to suffer at the hands of Mrs. Arroyo's deputy National Security Adviser. She showed ABS-CBN photos of her badly-bruised face and arms.
Ms. Tiongson also said that her boyfriend was forcibly undressed, beaten up, and tortured by Singson's bodyguards. Tiongson said she escaped after the old Singson rest his beatings, she then climbed over her apartment’s balcony and jumping into her neighbor’s house. Where she was later taken by a friend to a nearby hospital for treatment of her wounds.
Fearing for her and her boyfriend's life Ms. Tiongson said she pressed charges against Singson and a Quezon City court has already issued a temporary protection order and a subpoena against the former Ilocos Sur governor. Reports said she told the court that she finds nothing wrong with having a boyfriend because she and Singson already separated in November last year.
Tiongson said she broke off with Singson
because of his pedophiliac relationships with other you
ng women, some as young as their teenage children. Tiongson said she first met Singson at the age of 18 when she was just a college student in Manila and they lived together for 17 years.
Chavit Singson rejected her story of separation in an interview with ABS-CBN aired over Bandila. Chavit said he has evidence of financial reimbursements and daily cellphone notes from Tiongson telling him "I love you, I love you' pa," to prove that they are not separated and that they are legally married to Tiongson.
Chavit threatens that if Tiongson insists on her claim that they are separated, Singson said he would accept it, "Good riddance!"
Singson said it was up to the court to decide on the complaints filed against him he is ready to face the charges even the feminist groups led by Gabriela party-list Rep. Liza Maza, who said that Singson’s actions against Tiongson are "unjustifiable and barbaric". The groups are rallying behind Ms. Tiongson and Chavit wanted to stop them from protecting and supporting her unfaithful activities.
"20 years imprisonment
Family law expert Katrina Legarda, meanwhile, said Tiongson has a strong case against Singson if she will use Republic Act 9262 or the Violence Against Women and Children Act of 2004.
She said Tiongson has to choose whether to file a complaint of physical injury, attempted homicide or attempted murder. If found guilty, Singson could face up to 20 years in jail for attempted homicide or attempted murder.
Legarda also said Singson cannot use Article 247 of the Revised Penal Code to defend himself from assault charges.
According to Article 247, “any legally married person who having suprised his spouse in the act of committing sexual intercourse with another person, shall kill any of them or shall inflict upon them any serious physical injury, shall be exempt from punishment.”
Legarda said the said the exemption only covers those who are legally married. Tiongson said she and Singson were only living together."
He defended his "machismo" from the allegations that he beat up and tortured Tiongson and her boyfriend. He insisted that he caught Tiongson, his common-law-wife with whom he has five children in "his rented apartment" and that his lawyer will tell
how he caught his wife severals times now with other men.
After torturing Tiongson and Catral, Chavit challenge the two to go with him at the police station so that the media and policemen may see both of them but Catral refuses sensing Singson is hatching yet another "mental torture" of publicly humiliating them. Chavit view Catrals refusal as a sign of surrender and defeat.
