Police turn over bracelet to City Hall

CEBU, Philippines - Following Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama’s negative reaction, the chief of Theft and Robbery Section turned over to the city government yesterday the bracelet they earlier redeemed from a pawnshop.

TRS chief Bonifacio Garciano turned over the jewelry estimated to cost close to P200,000 to the city after he and his superior, Sr. Supt. Melvin Ramon Buenafe, talked on the matter yesterday.

Rama earlier questioned the police for redeeming the bracelet using their own money, to boot, believing that this is no longer part of policemen’s job.

At about 4 p.m. yesterday, Lorelie Pongcol, accompanied by Garciano and two other TRS personnel, turned over the gold bracelet to Rama at the City Hall.

The jewelry, whose ownership is still being determined, was appraised by the City Treasurer’s Office before it was placed inside a vault until the rightful owner goes to claim it.

Garciano said he is just doing his job and that he was not planning something “fishy.”

Yesterday, when the bracelet was still at their custody, Garciano said none of the two businessmen who claimed ownership of the bracelet, were able to convince them that they really own the item.

The police official said they told the two, including the rest who also claimed ownership of the jewelry, to show them strong proof such as receipt or photos of the bracelet.

Pongcol, common-law wife of Orlando Sambilad, who found the bracelet from the used clothing that were given to the sidewalk dwellers by the owners of the Cathay Hardware on Plaridel Street, pawned the jewelry for only P50,000 at a pawnshop in Pasil.

A policeman in Pasil, who suspected that the bracelet was part of the loot in a robbery in Pardo, informed the TRS office about the bracelet. — (FREEMAN)