REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
REGIONAL TRIAL COURT
NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION
MAKATI CITY
BRANCH 150
PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES
Plaintiff,
CRIMINAL CASE NO. R-
MKT-21-00024-28-CR
FOR: Estafa through
Falsification of Commercial
Document
-versus-
Frank William Abagnale, Jr.,
Accused.
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JUDICIAL AFFIDAVIT
(OF WITNESS PAULETTE BARNES
FOR THE ACCUSED FRANK WILLIAM
ABAGNALE, JR.)
I, PAULETTE BARNES, of legal age, married and a resident of
Unit 3A The Birchwood, Acacia Estates, Taguig City, after having been
duly sworn to in accordance with law, do hereby depose and say THAT:
PREFATORY STATEMENT
a. Atty. Gil Paulo B. Gomez conducted/supervised my judicial
affidavit in their office address at 19th & 20th Floor, Tower 1, The
Enterprise Center, 6766 Ayala Ave, Makati City;
b. I hereby answer the following questions propounded as my
judicial affidavit in the above-captioned case, after having been
sworn in accordance with law, fully conscious that I answer the
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same under oath and that I may face criminal liability for false
testimony or perjury.
PURPOSES:
a.) To testify that there was a big impact on the life of the accused being a
minor during the time me and my former husband decided to get an
annulment case.
b.) To prove that my son committed the crimes during his minority and
that he acted without discernment. This is also to testify that the root
cause of committing it, is because of my decision, in concurrence with
my former husband, to separate ways and file an annulment case.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:
1. Q: Could you please state your name for the record?
A: I am Paulette Barnes.
2. Q: Do you personally know the accused in this case?
A: Yes, sir.
3. Q: What is your relation to the accused?
A: He is my biological son, sir.
4. Q: Do you have any evidence to prove that the accused is indeed
your biological son?
A: Yes, sir. His birth and baptismal certificates.
5. Q: If that Certificate of Live Birth and Baptismal Certificate will
be shown to you, will you be able to identify the same?
A: Yes, sir.
6. Q: I am showing to you a Certificate of Live Birth with Registry
No. 90-03607 take a look at this and tell this Honorable Court the
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relation of this baptismal certificate with the one that you
mentioned a while ago.
A: This is the same birth certificate that I mentioned a while ago.
Your Honor we moved that the said Certificate of Live Birth with
Registry No. 90-03607 be marked as Exhibit “____”
7. Q: I am showing to you a Baptismal Certificate with Registry
No. 091995 take a look at this and tell this Honorable Court the
relation of this baptismal certificate with the one that you
mentioned a while ago.
A: This is the same baptismal certificate that I mentioned a while
ago.
Your Honor we moved that the said Baptismal Certificate with
Registry No.091995 be marked as Exhibit “____”
8. Q: How did you come to meet your ex-husband Frank William
Abagnale, Sr in the first place?
A: Some time in 2000 when I am preparing for my dance in my
work place somewhere in Quezon City. I saw my ex-husband
and he asked me to dance.
9. Q: What transpired after your first meeting?
A: We had a good friendship and after few weeks it turned it
romantic and dated exclusively before getting married after 8
months.
10.Q: During the subsistence of your marriage, was it always
smooth sailing?
A: In the early years, yes. But in the year 2016, all of the business
became bankrupt and which affected our financial capability.
11.Q: In the same year, did you notice anything different with your
ex-husband?
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12.A: Yes, sir. He became a habitual drinker and womanizer which
affected our relationship and left me no choice to file an
annulment case.
13.Q: Do you have any proof about your annulment case?
A: Yes, sir,
14.Q: If that court decision dated Dec. 16, 2018, will be shown to
you, will you be able to identify the same?
A: Yes, sir.
15.Q: I am showing to you the court decision dated Dec. 16, 2018,
take a look at this and tell this Honorable Court the relation of
this court decision dated Dec. 16, 2018 with the one that you
mentioned a while ago.
A: This is the same court decision of our annulment that I
mentioned a while ago, sir.
Your Honor we moved that the said court decision dated Dec. 16,
2018 be marked as Exhibit “___”
16.Q: Upon receipt of the court’s decision, what happened next, if
any?
A: A social worker came to our house to facilitate the custody of
Frank between myself and his father.
17.Q: What was the reaction of Frank?
A: He got mad and cannot accept what was happening. He was
very much confused and lost. He cried and ran away from home.
18.Q: After he left your dwelling, what happened next, if any?
A: I lost contact with my son and I had no idea of his
whereabouts. I also left our dwelling and lived with my new
husband.
19.Q: Do you have any suspicion as to the actual circumstances of
your son in relation to this case?
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A: No, sir. But I remember, some time in July 2019, a certain
Hanratty with his companion went to my house and represent
themselves showing their badges as NBI agents.
20.Q: Did you asked Special Agent Hanratty the reason why he
went to your house?
A: Yes, sir. He told me that I filled out a missing person’s report
for a runaway juvenile by the name Frank Abagnale, Jr.
21.Q: What was your first reaction when Hanratty told you about
Frank?
A: I asked him if my son is okay.
22.Q: Upon asking if Frank is okay, what happened next, if any?
A: He said that my son owes money and I asked the amount that
needs to be settled and he said as of June 2019 the amount needs
to be settled is Five Hundred Seventy-Five Thousand Nine
Hundred Pesos (Php 575,900.00)
23.Q: Upon learning of the said amount, what happened next, if
any?
A: was shocked with the amount and I couldn’t believe that my
son did it.
24.Q: Do you remember anything else from your conversation with
Hanratty?
A: Yes, sir. I remember that Hanratty asked me if I have a picture
of my son and I said yes and shown to him the old year book of
my son Frank.
25.Q: Upon showing the old year book of your son to Hanratty,
what happened next, if any?
A: Special Agent Hanratty told me that he needs to send out an
all-office teletype and said that the john doe’s name is Frank
Abagnale, Jr., and he rushed to get outside my house.
26.Q: After that incident, what happened next, if any?
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A: I remember that 2 months after the visit of Hanratty, a social
worker by name of Ernest Soliman went to my house and
discussed to me about the Diversion Contract and Proceedings.
27.Q: After the social worker discussed the Diversion Contract and
Proceedings, what did you do, if any?
A: I gave my consent by affixing my signature to the Diversion
Contact.
28.Q: If the Diversion Contract will be shown to you, will you be
able to identify the same?
A: Yes, sir.
29.Q: I am showing to you Diversion Contract dated Sept 19, 2019,
take a look at this and tell this Honorable Court the relation of
this Diversion Contract with the one that you mentioned a while
ago.
A: Yes, sir. It is the same Diversion Contract that I mentioned a
while ago.
30.Q: On the same Diversion Contract, there is a certain signature
above the name Paulette Barnes, is this your signature?
A: Yes, sir.
Your Honor we moved that the Diversion Contract be marked as
Exhibit “___”
31.Q: Upon signing of the Diversion Contract, did you feel anything
about your son?
A: As a mother, I feel sad for having my son treated by the police
as a criminal. When in fact, half of the kids his age is exploiting
the use of illegal drugs.
32.Q: Why do you think your son, the accused, committed these
crimes?
A: I believe he committed all these in order to catch our attention,
to try and create a happening that may push for the reconciliation
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of his father and me. In all of these, he had acted without
knowing the gravity of his acts since he is still a child.
33.Q:Do you have anything else to say, Miss Paulette?
A: Nothing more, Sir.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 4th day
of March 2021 at Makati City, Philippines.
PAULETTE BARNES
Affiant
SWORN STATEMENT OF LAWYER
I, ATTY. GIL PAULO B. GOMEZ, of legal age, Filipino, with office
address at 19th & 20th Floor, Tower 1, The Enterprise Center, 6766 Ayala
Ave, Makati, after having duly sworn depose and say that:
1. I was the one who conducted the examination of PAULETTE
BARNES, witness for the Accused FRANK WILLIAM
ABAGNALE, JR. at Makati City;
2. I have faithfully recorded or caused to be recorded the questions
I asked and the corresponding answer that the accused gave;
3. I, nor any other person then present or assisting her coached the
witness regarding his answers.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 4th day of
March 2021 at Makati City.
ATTY. GIL PAULO B. GOMEZ
Affiant
SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me, a Notary Public in and for
Makati this 4th day of March 2021. Affiant personally came and appeared
with his Integrated Bar of the Philippines ID bearing her photograph and
signature, known to me as the person who personally signed the
foregoing instrument before me and avowed under penalty of law to the
whole truth of the contents of said instrument.
__________________
Notary Public
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Doc. No. ______
Page No.______
Book No.______
Series of 2021
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