CEBU CITY — After spending at least seven days in jail, professional boxer Albert Pagara is a free man again.
The 27-year-old Pagara was released from the Pardo Police Station after he posted P100,000 bail last Wednesday afternoon, September 8.
"In the release paper that we received, the bail was set at P200,000 but it was reduced to P100,000 after his lawyer made an appeal," said Police Maj. Jose Angelo Acupinpin, chief of the Pardo Police Station.
A charge for rape was filed against Pagara after he was arrested last September 1 on accusations that he molested a 14-year-old girl.
Acupinpin clarified that the rape case was not downgraded although Pagara was allowed to post bail.
"According to our investigator here, there are rape cases wherein the accused is allowed to bail. If the accusation did not involve actual penetration, that may be bailable," said Acupinpin.
In his case, Pagara was accused of inserting his finger into the girl's private private parts, Acupinpin said.
Manila Bulletin sought for Pagara's comment on the issues hounding him but he declined to be interviewed.
"My apology, I am not allowed to grant interviews for now," Pagara said in Cebuano.
Pagara used to be one of the promising boxers from Cebu. He won 33 of his 34 professional fights with his first loss coming in 2016 against Mexican boxer Cesar Juarez.
After the fabled ALA Boxing Gym closed shop in August 2020, Pagara had been away from the limelight with his latest flights taking place in smaller cards.
The Maasin-native boxer is on a seven-fight win streak but has not seen action since beating Virgil Puton via unanimous decision last December 18, 2020 in Mandaue City.