Cops punished for missing fitness training program

Two members of the Regional Mobile Group were suspended for alleged failure to report during their unit’s Fitness Training Program this year.

The suspension was issued by Sr. Supt. Vicente Loot of the Regional Human Resource Development Division - Police Regional Office and signed by regional police director Chief Supt. Ronald Roderos for implementation.

Suspended for 31 days is PO1 Ariel Cuarto while his colleague in the unit, PO1 Meljun Lastimoso, is ordered suspended for 41 days.  The two will not be receiving their monthly salaries.

It was not made clear why Lastimoso was suspended 10 days longer than Cuarto.

The two were administratively charged by their superiors in Sibonga town for “less grave neglect of duties”.

According to Loot, the order takes effect on May 1 for both of them.

The FTP is a yearly activity of all police units in the country as part of the program of the PNP to keep their members fit and healthy.

Meanwhile, Loot has already chosen Insp. Joseph Cañete of Punta Princesa Police station to serve as summary hearing officer of the administrative case against PO1 Eva Caminade of the Fuente police station.

Caminade was administratively charged for less grave neglect of duty after she mistakenly freed a drug pusher not knowing that the real inmate ordered released by court had already been released earlier.

Caminade inadvertently released Edward Cabrera Talingting from the detention cell of the Fuente Police station last February 26.

Talingting who reportedly immediately went into hiding in barangay Malubog, Danao City was later turned over by his mother to the authorities.

According to the report, Caminade was looking for “Chito Cabrera” who was set for release after his family reportedly paid his administrative fine for drunkenness —a violation of City Ordinance 512.

Unknown to Caminade, Cabrera was already released by her fellow policeman earlier that day and that Talingting may have grabbed the opportunity after the policewoman called the name “Cabrera”, as it was Talingting’s middle name.

Sr. Supt. Patrocinio Comendador, city police director, said that Talingting may have been tempted to grab the opportunity knowing that he is facing non-bailable charges.

Talingting was arrested by the Regional Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force for allegedly selling illegal drugs and is set to be charged for violation of Section 5, Article 2 of Republic Act 9165 or drug pushing.

Because the RAIDSOTF does not have its own detention cell, Talingting was taken to the Fuente police station for detention.

Talingting later surrendered to Labangon barangay councilwoman Ana Lozano and councilman Fabian Aves and was turned over to PO3 Amid Lozano of the Regional Intelligence Division.  — Edwin Ian Melecio/MEEV