Cebu cops mull raps vs mayor for ignoring checkpoint

CEBU CITY – Mayor Tomas Osmeña and Councilor Mary Ann delos Santos may face charges for  ignoring a checkpoint.

“We are contemplating on filing cases against them. I expect that they are well-read, informed and traveled. Even... normal people stop at checkpoints,” Col. Royina Garma, Cebu City police chief, said. 

Citing a report of the Cebu City Mobile Force Company, Garma said Delos Santos was in a convoy of vehicles that refused to pull over at a checkpoint in Barangay Kasambagan at around 7 p.m. on Sunday.

Garma showed a video showing Osmeña coming to Delos Santos’ aid and telling police officers that they could not ask people to alight from their vehicles.

Contrary to Osmeña’s claim, Garma clarified that Delos Santos and her driver alighted from their car without being told.

On a post on Facebook,  Osmeña criticized Garma over alleged irregularities committed by police officers manning the checkpoint.

“Why did your goons force my staff out of their vehicle... Isn’t it illegal to force someone out of a private vehicle?” Osmeña’s post read. 

The mayor claimed the police officers tried to search the vehicles without a warrant. 

Garma belied Osmeña’s allegations, saying they only conducted plain view or visual search.

Garma and Osmeña have been involved in a word war since last year following an assassination attempt on Barangay Tejero kagawad Jessielou Cadungog, a known ally of the mayor. – The Freeman