Dumanjug cop risks facing raps

CEBU, Philippines - The Provincial Investigation and Detective Management Branch has taken cognizance over an incident at the Dumanjug Police Station dawn last Thursday wherein a policeman allegedly aimed his service firearm to his chief.

PIDMB chief Supt. Rodolfo Albotra told The FREEMAN they are just waiting for an official investigation report from the chief of police.

“Dili ni nato palabyon ang mga ingon ani nga incident kay kinahanglan ni sila i-disiplina (We will not let this incident pass because they need to be disciplined),” Albotra said in a phone interview.

Albotra said PIDMB will rely solely on statements from Sr. Insp. Cesar Misola, the town’s police chief, as well as those of the policemen on duty at the time of the incident.

“Possible grave misconduct gyud ni punta pero we have to evaluate it first (It is likely that the incident involved grave misconduct but we have to evaluate first),” Albotra said.

Misola said the policeman in question, PO2 Socrates Avila, did not report to work yesterday and he will send a notice for Avila to return to work Monday.

Misola said Avila will be given five days from receipt of the notice to report to work. If he fails to do so, a second notice will be served. If  he still fails to report after the second notice, he will be running the risk of being removed from the roll of the Philippine National Police.

“I will recommend him to the provincial headquarters for Absence without an Official Leave (AWOL),” Misola told The FREEMAN in a phone interview.

Avila, a jail guard and desk officer of the police station, was accused of misbehaving and for direct assault against a person in authority after he allegedly aimed his PNP-issued .38 revolver at Misola.

He was allegedly under the influence of liquor at that time.

Misola said Avila was on duty at that time but he reportedly left his post and took the patrol car without Misola’s permission. He reportedly took Sosimo Pace, a detainee, and went to a wake in Barangay Ilaya where he crashed the patrol car accidentally into a sign board along the road.

Misola said he still could not understand why Avila did those things.

“Sa akong nahibaw-an, maayo ra man na siya pero mao lagi na, kung makainom mag-maoy base lang pud sa mga naunang hepe na nakakausap ko (As far as I know, he’s a good man although the former police chief told me he would behave differently each time he drank liquor),” Misola said.

Misola said he is bent on filing administrative and criminal charges against Avila.  (FREEMAN)