Malate cop jails Manila court server

A male subpoena server was jailed after he allegedly cursed and berated a police official inside the Malate police station Monday night.

Inspector Marcelo Reyes, chief of the Intelligence and Investigation Branch of the Western Police District-Station 9, said he was compelled to restrict behind bars Miguel Aguila, 52, subpoena server of Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 36, for being unruly inside the police station.

In his statement, Reyes said Aguila arrived at the police station past 8 p.m. purposely to deliver subpoenas to two policemen identified as SPO1 Raul Lumapas and PO2 Bernard Mino. Reyes alleged Aguila smelled of liquor.

Being the duty desk officer at that time, Reyes said he volunteered to receive the subpoenas, but Aguila insisted on giving the subpoenas personally to the police officers.

Reyes said that when he informed Aguila that Lumapas was assigned at the WPD headquarters at UN Avenue and Mino had just finished his tour of duty, Aguila reportedly fumed and berated and insulted him in front of other policemen.

Reyes quoted Aguila as taunting him: "Ilabas mo na, para ka namang gago. Hindi uubra ang kalokohan mo sa akin. Taga husgado ako (Produce them now, I will not tolerate your antics. I am a man of court, you fool)."

The police official said he tried to remain calm and advised Aguila to restrain himself, but the latter continued to throw verbal insults at him. "I have no other recourse but to order his arrest and confine him to jail," Reyes said.

A medical examination conducted on Aguila upon his arrest showed that he was positive for alcohol intake. Charges of insulting an agent of a person in authority and unjust vexation were filed against Aguila.

When interviewed at his detention cell, a now sober Aguila said he would discuss the incident with his judge.– Nestor Etolle