Gayotin orders probe on inaction of Pardo Police

Acting Cebu City Police Director Supt. Melvin Gayotin ordered an investigation into the complaint sent by a woman to the Office of the President on the alleged inaction of the Pardo Police Station, which failed to assist her when she reported a crime.

Gayotin, in a telephone interview, told The Freeman that he ordered Pardo Police Station chief, C. Insp. Alexis Relado to conduct investigation regarding this matter.

The city chief also ordered the head of the station to identify, who was the policeman allegedly with the rank of SPO4, who denied Rhodelia Caretero of Mambaling the help they asked last June 3 after the woman was victimized by a pickpocket inside a PUJ.

Gayotin said that Relado is not also off the hook on this incident since as a police station head, it is his responsibility that his men are doing their job properly.

Caretero, in her complaint to the Office of the President, alleged that the policeman did not help them find the pickpockets who stole her wallet containing money and important documents in it since there were no available policemen at that time.

Caretero and her husband, who is also a policeman assigned at the communications division at the Camp Sergio Osmeña, were forced to look for the suspects themselves and succeed after the third round of their search onboard their Suzuki multicab along the South Road between Barangays Basak, Pardo and Bulacao.

They spotted the two suspects crossing the road near Asian College of Technology, but the duo boarded another jeepney bound for Minglanilla prompting them call Pardo Police station for back-up. They were however advised instead to go to the Tabunok Police Station or Minglanilla and ask the cops there block the jeepney.

Because of this alleged inaction from the police, the couple sent e-mail to [email protected] addressed to Malacañang. Assistant Secretary Maria Lourdes Varona of the said office endorsed the said letter with a request to PNP director Arturo Lomibao to have the incident investigated.

Gayotin was saddened that the complainants bypassed his office or the regional director since according to him both offices could have acted on it. - Edwin Ian Melecio