Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned – even if the man is a military official, and especially when lawmakers are on her side.
This was after Army official Ranulfo Sevilla, who was poised to become a brigadier general, had his appointment bypassed by the powerful Commission on Appointments’ Committee on National Defense, revertinghim to the rank of colonel.
The confirmation of Sevilla’s appointment was deferred following opposition from his estranged wife – and also after Senator Risa Hontiveros scolded him for allegedly lying about the amount of child support he is supposed to give to his family as discussed in an executive session.
The CA panel, which Hontiveros is a member of, earlier deferred Sevilla’s promotion following allegations that he abused his wife, Tessa Luz Reyes-Sevilla, and children and only gave her P2,000 monthly in child support.
During the hearing, Hontiveros reminded Sevilla that the CA panel had recommended that the officer give half of his base pay to his wife and children excluding allowances, an amount reflected in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth, and investments in stocks.
Sevilla said he was “not totally informed” about the amount that he was supposed to give but said he is willing to comply.
Hontiveros, however, said the committee recommendation is not an order, and said there are other venues for the general to step up his giving to his estranged wife.
Sevilla said he was not clear about the amount after the executive session, saying his understanding was that he would confer with his lawyers.
“I couldn’t really recall if I was told the amount, the exact amount that I should offer,” the general, currently the deputy commander of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Special Operations Command based in Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija, said.
Rep. Jurdin Romualdo, who chairs the CA Committee on National Defense, however, criticized Sevilla for saying he was uninformed about the amount of child support he should offer.
“We already talked about this. And we wanted it in writing, and you said you couldn’t do it until we reduced the amount. Please don’t lie to us. We’re already helping you. Senator Hontiveros was right in saying that this isn’t the proper venue. But for humanitarian reasons, we’re tackling this. It’s ridiculous to give P2,000 to your kids. And you’re telling us we didn’t give an amount? That’s not right,” Romualdo said.
Sevilla apologized to the committee if he had misheard the amount discussed during the executive session. He also revealed that he had P91,058 base pay, with a take-home pay of P72,544.
After the revelation, he stressed that he was willing to shell out the P50,000 first agreed on.
Hontiveros said Sevilla was “remiss in providing financial support to their minor children since 2017.”
