By Cherrie Anne E. Villahermosa
Variety News Staff

A MIXED martial arts expert charged for assaulting a man with a dangerous weapon has entered a guilty plea and was sentenced to six months of imprisonment.
Represented by Assistant Public Defender Kelley Butcher, Antonio Wabol Nekaifes, also known as “Excalibur, 30,” pleaded guilty to a lesser offense of assault and battery and criminal mischief during a change of plea hearing on Jan. 10.
In return, the government represented by Assistant Attorney General Rosemond B. Santos agreed to dismiss without prejudice the remaining charges.
Associate Judge Ramona V. Manglona accepted the plea and sentenced Nekaifes to five years of imprisonment, all suspended except for the first six months with credit for four days already served from May 19, 2006 to May 20, 2006; and May 27, 2006 to May 30, 2006.
Manglona ordered Nekaifes to report to the Department of Corrections to serve his unsuspended sentence on Feb. 16 at 6 p.m. He will be released on Aug. 12 at 6 p.m.
Nekaifes was also placed on supervised probation for a period of five years upon his release from jail.
He will pay a fine of $300, a court assessment fee of $100 and an annual probation fee of $100.
Moreover, he will perform 100 hours of community work service at a minimum rate of 10 hours per month with no conversion to a fine.
Nekaifes was also ordered not to have direct or indirect contact with the victim, Primo Ferrera Jr., whom he has to pay a restitution fee in the amount of $1,121.82 for medical expenses and $777.50 for damage to the victim’s vehicle.
Nekaifes was referred to the Commonwealth Guidance Center for evaluation and any recommended course of treatment, including alcohol treatment.
Nekaifes was arrested and charged for beating up Ferrera Jr., on May 19, 2006 in an argument.
The police affidavit stated that Nekaifes hit the victim in the head with a rock over a car blocking incident in Chalan Laulau.
Nekaifes also damaged the passenger window of the victim’s car before getting into his pick-up and leaving the scene.
The victim was found later by a police officer and was brought to the hospital for treatment.