Policeman in hot water for mauling taxi driver

Another cop is in hot water, this time for allegedly mauling a taxi driver after he was denied entry to the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino Monday evening.

SPO1 Edsel Condevillamar, a member of the 703rd Provincial Mobile Group based in Lutopan, Toledo City, was arrested by tanods of barangay Luz after taxi driver Jose Cullano sought for their assistance.

Cullano, 57, who suffered contusions to his face and hands, told reporters at the Cebu City Medical Center yesterday that Condevillamar, 44, suddenly hit him in the face, choked his neck and grabbed his fingers.

According to the victim, he and a drunk Condevillamor, who boarded his taxicab, had a heated argument after the policeman got irked when he asked why the guards refused him entry to the hotel.

This prompted Cullano to drive the vehicle to the Luz barangay hall to seek assistance but before tanods Manuel Vicentino, Guilberto Baculi and Samuel Lastimoso could respond, the suspect allegedly started to attack the driver.

Mabolo Police Station chief Armando Radoc told The Freeman that the bystanders in the area helped the victim out of the taxicab and then ganged up on the policeman, cutting the suspect's eyebrow and bruising his face and body.

The commotion then caught the attention of the stationing tanods, who then brought Condevillamar to the Mabolo Police Station.

But while inside the police station, the suspect allegedly gave the policemen a hard time to bring him to Cebu City Medical Center for a liquor test.

"We were forced to apply the necessary force just to subdue him," Radoc said.

The suspect was tested positive for alcohol and was charged with serious physical injury and drunkenness. But he gained temporary freedom after posting bail yesterday. - Edwin Ian Melecio