By Nehmia Elyxa Relano

PHOTO: Screen grab from Inquirer.net

“‘Di naman totally nagnakaw si tatay, namitas lang.” 

After allegedly stealing 10 kilograms of mangoes, an 80-year-old man, Narding Floro, who was in police custody since January 13 in Asingan, Pangasinan, will post bail today, according to a police officer. 

“Kagabi tumawag sa amin [ang] isa sa mga judge at naki-coordinate na tayo sa chief of clerk to fast track his bail, his temporary liberty,” Police Major Napoleon M. Eleccion said in a Facebook live video. 

With the implementation of Alert Level 3, the signing of Floro’s release papers had been delayed but will finally be signed by a judge today to grant him ‘temporary liberty’. 

Pangasinan PNP spokesperson Lt. Col. Ferdinand de Asis earlier stated that Asingan Police also contributed for Lolo Narding’s bail which cost P6,000 alongside concerned citizens’ donations. 

The Asingan authorities then clarified that the excess donations received by Lolo Narding for his bail will be given to him for his basic necessities.

Eleccion later stressed that Floro did not steal his neighbor’s mangoes but simply picked them.

“Namitas lang po ng mangga dahil ang kine-claim ni tatay 'yung kabataan niya, siya ang nagtanim. So itong may-ari naman ng lupa, kine-claim niya na 'yung lupa sa kanya, pati na rin 'yung mangga, which is si tatay naman tinitignan niya mula pagkabata. ’Di naman totally nagnakaw si tatay, namitas lang,” Eleccion said.

The police also denied allegations of double standards, claiming they implemented the ‘exemption for elders’ from the start of Floro's arrest.

Floro was arrested by virtue of a warrant of arrest issued by the 7th Municipal Circuit Trial Courts (MCTC) of Asingan-San Manuel last December 20, 2021.