Palcuto faces admin case over mauling of partylist members

CEBU, Philippines - The Kabataan partylist group has filed an administrative complaint before the Regional Internal Affairs Service against Supt. Ariel Palcuto for allegedly mauling two of their members who were accused of tearing off the campaign posters of the police official’s father who is running for vice mayor of Cebu City.The partylist group went to theRIAS-7 the other day to file the formal complaint and to ask the office to dismiss the police official from the police service. The complaint was on top of the complaint for physical injuries they that the partylist group earlier lodged with the Commission on Human Rights.

Reniel Oliva, regional chairman and 4th nominee of the partylist group, accused Palcuto of giving orders to his father’s alleged goons to maul him and his companion Bryan Laguna on April 10.

Palcuto’s men started beating him and Laguna after they were suspected of having tore off the campaign posters of vice mayoralty candidate Rico Palcuto on M.J. Cuenco Avenue, in front of the Cebu Country Club.

Palcuto has already denied the allegation but Oliva and six to seven other witnesses positively identified him as the person who allegedly ordered his father’s mob to hit them. Their positive identification, Oliva said, is their strongest evidence against the police official.

Oliva vowed not to stop going after Palcuto until justice is served to them.

“Mangita g’yud mi og paagi na makab-ot namo ang hustisya ug masilutan siya aron mahimo ning example na ang mga pulis dili angayan mag-abusar sa ilang gahum,” Oliva said.

The group, assisted by lawyer Poch Cinco, is also contemplating to file criminal complaints against Palcuto before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas.

Oliva claimed that Palcuto can be charged for physical injuries for mauling them and for violating the Comelec gun ban for carrying a gun with him while not in proper uniform.

Shortly after the incident, the partylist group and the Karapatan-Central Visayas held an indignation rally at the Police Regional Office calling for the investigation on the mauling of their comrades.   (BANATNEWS)