Ranking NPD police official mauls reporter

Policemen are supposed to be the guardians and protectors of law and order. But what if a police colonel mauls a hapless tabloid newspaper reporter?

Boysan Buenaventura, 49, field reporter of Remate Tonight, complained that Superintendent Robert Ganzon, chief of the Northern Police District Intelligence Unit punched him in the chest over a petty misunderstanding.

In a complaint filed before the office of NPD Criminal Investigation Branch, Buenaventura said that last July 5, Ganzon mauled him in front his men and the public.

The STAR tried yesterday to reach Ganzon at his office but he was not around. NPD director Senior Superintendent Vidal Querol was likewise out of his office.

In an interview, Buenaventura claimed that he had just finished eating noodles bought from an ambulant vendor near the office of NPD-DPIU in Langaray street, Dagat-Dagatan, Caloocan City at around 1:30 p.m. Thursday when he was summoned by Ganzon.

Ganzon allegedly confronted Buenaventura for not paying the noodles he ate and charging it to his men.

After a few tongue lashing, Ganzon allegedly punched Buenaventura in the chest.

"His men were the ones who invited me for a "merienda" and told me that they would pay it for me since they were my old aquintances," Buenaventura said.

Buenaventura added that Ganzon had an axe to grind against him as he suspected him of feeding information to other reporters of Ganzon’s alleged connections with illegal gambling lords in the Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela area.

"I have nothing against him (Ganzon), Buenaventura claimed. "If he thinks that I’ve done something wrong against him he should have talk to me and not humiliate in the public." –Pete Laude