By Cherrie Anne E. Villahermosa
Variety News Staff

A MAN charged for hitting his girlfriend has pleaded guilty to assault and battery.
Clarence Itibus Tagabuel, 33, appeared in Superior Court on Wednesday during a change of plea hearing.
Tagabuel’s counsel was Assistant Public Defender Douglas Hartig while the government was represented by Assistant Attorney General Joseph Taijeron.
Associate Judge Juan T. Lizama accepted Tagabuel’s plea and sentenced him to one year of imprisonment all suspended except for three days.
Tagabuel will report to the Department of Corrections on March 8, at 4 p.m. to start serving his unsuspended sentence. He will be released on March 11 at 4 p.m.
Tagabuel’s was placed on probation for one year and will pay a fine of $100 and an assessment fee of $25.
He will perform 50 hours of community work service.
Tagabuel, according to the AG’s Office, hit his girlfriend in the face on or about July 23, 2006.