Cebu Provincial Police director Carmelo Valmoria yesterday ordered an investigation against the Carcar Police station chief and his six policemen that traded accusations about one another’s involvement in illegal drugs.
Valmoria directed the chief of the Provincial Investigation Detective Management, Supt. Teofilo Siclot, to investigate Carcar chief of police, Sr. Insp. Jason Mangaron, who was accused by his men for alleged illegal activities.
Valmoria wanted the investigation to cover also the six policemen who Mangaron had accused also of offenses over the release of some arrested drug suspects.
The provincial police official asked Siclot to verify the veracity of the accusations of both sides, and determine if Mangaron and his men have some derogatory records in the past.
Mangaron, when sought for reaction to the order, said he welcomed the investigation but would not comment for now on the issue. He added that the probe would be his chance to defend himself from the accusations, saying that his men were only angry at him.
The controversy started last week when the six policemen arrested 10 suspected ushers of masiao. For alleged lack of evidences, however, the policemen later released three of these suspects.
This angered Mangaron who in turn filed administrative charges against the policemen. Two of the policemen, SPO1s Meliton Agadier and Roland Navales, retaliated by accusing the police chief of failing to return to the owner the stolen motorcycle that the police had recovered.
The two said the motorcycle owner, from Sibonga, showed ownership documents and tried to recover the vehicle. Instead of returning it however, Mangaron allegedly allowed his asset, a certain Boy Aser, to use it, they said.
Agadier and Navales alleged that Boy Aser was tasked to collect bribe money, or “tong,” from some people in the town that have been involved in illegal drugs. The two policemen took and turned over the motorcycle to Siclot last Wednesday.
The trading of accusations between the six policemen and the police chief reached Valmoria’s office prompting him to summon the six.
When the six policemen were about to leave the Carcar Police station yesterday morning, on a multi-cab owned by Navales and driven by Agadier, the police chief allegedly tried to stop them by aiming an armalite rifle at them.
They said that they panicked and ran away to safety. They however arrived at Valmoria’s office at noontime yesterday but Valmoria clarified that both sides would be investigated. — Flor Z. Perolina/RAE