Town police chief cleared from subordinate’s arrest

CEBU, Philippines - A town police chief has been cleared from command responsibility over the arrest of his subordinate who was found inside a drug den during a recent police operation.

Based on the pre-charge evaluation conducted by the Provincial Intelligence and Detective Management Branch, Police Officer 2 Bernardito Almieda’s presence at the drug den in the town’s Barangay Poblacion was not in line of duty and was not a directive from his superior, Inspector Glen Devocion.

“The commission of the crime is personal in nature and not attributed to his (Devocion) irregularity as chief of police,” said Police Officer 1 Luchin Dinopol, PIDMB investigator.

According to Dinopol, Devocion’s directive to Almieda, an assistant intelligence officer, was to conduct surveillance on their targets, not to stay inside the house of drug personality, Edwin Cabahug.

Cabahug, who reportedly owned the drug den, was the subject of the buy-bust operation conducted last month, but he eluded arrest.

Almieda and Cabahug’s cohort Zeev Tulod, 40, were the ones arrested instead. P50,000 worth of shabu, drug paraphernalia, and a cal. 45 pistol with 21 bullets and three magazines were seized during the operation.

PIDMB’s evaluation will be submitted to Cebu Provincial Police Office director Noel Gillamac for approval.

Almieda is now facing criminal charges for violation of the Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 and an administrative charge for grave misconduct before Police Regional Office-7 subject to a summary hearing.

According to the police, they only received information that a police officer was coddling a drug pusher in the area.

“Wala mi kahibalo nga siya diay, pero duna na mi nadawat nga impormasyon nga dunay pulis nga nagprotektar sa lugar,”  Gillamac said.  (FREEMAN)