3 police officials probed for using impounded car

CEBU, Philippines - Three former chiefs of the Theft and Robbery Section of the Cebu City Police Office are facing investigation for allegedly using an impounded vehicle believed to have been abandoned by suspected criminals.

CCPO director Noli Romana has ordered the Investigation and Detection Management Branch to investigate Chief Inspector Noli Cernio, Senior Inspector William Alicaba, and Senior Inspector Elisandro Quijano.

The three officials were accused of using an impounded Mitsubishi Lancer for personal purposes.

IDMB chief Aileen Recla said she will ask her three fellow offi-cers to explain in writing why they used an impounded vehicle. Cernio, who is now the chief of Punta Princesa Police Station, and Alicaba, now deputy commander of Station 2, admitted using the vehicle. They, however, denied using it for personal purposes.

According to them, the vehicle was used in police operations because the TRS does not have its own service car. Alicaba, under whose stint at the TRS the car was recovered, said the vehicle bearing plate number 7C 1900 was used in surveillance operations.

Alicaba said the vehicle was abandoned when they recovered it in June 2013. Until now nobody showed up to claim it.

It does not also have registration records with the Land Transportation Office. The police believed that the vehicle may have been used by criminals to commit crimes.

Alicaba said the vehicle was also used by Quijano, now Homicide chief, after his relief as TRS chief. According to Alicaba, Quijano called him up and asked permission if he could also use the vehicle.

Quijano turned over the vehicle to Cernio when the latter assumed as TRS chief. Like his predecessors, Cernio also used the vehicle.

However, Cernio failed to turn over it to his successor, Chief Inspector David Señor, upon his relief.

Cernio allegedly brought the vehicle with him in his new assignment.

“Sa akoa na nakagamit gyud ko ana, mag-file og kaso, mag-follow-up… among nagamit sa amoang trabaho, wala na gigamit sa personal,” Cernio said.

He explained that he failed to immediately turn over the vehicle to his successor because it needed a repair.

“Naguba gipa-shop nako, atong Sunday gipa-road test nako sa mekaniko,” Cernio said.

Cernio said he already returned the vehicle to the impounding area yesterday after it was fixed.

“Naa na didto gi-turned-over nako sa TRS para dili ta makuan nga personal, naa baya tay sakyanan,” he said.

But Recla said it is not Cernio’s responsibility to have the vehicle repaired.

“Di niya responsibilidad ang pagpa-ayo sa awto, di justified ang pa-ayo, di man ka allowed mopaayo,” Recla said.

Romana said using an impounded vehicle is a grave offense which could cost the career of the officials involved. — /FPL (FREEMAN)