Cops who abandoned suspects face raps

CEBU, Philippines - The Provincial Investigation Detective and Management Branch of the Cebu Provincial Police Office has found probable cause to file administrative charges against two police officers who failed to escort two robbery suspects back to the Pinamungajan Police Station last January 21.

The PIDMB recommended that PO2 Alcris Labrador and PO2 Berdie Nuñez be charged with grave misconduct.

The recommendation has been forwarded to the Police Regional Office-7 for a summary hearing.

It was found that after they filed charges against the robbery suspects at the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office in Cebu City, Labrador and Nuñez decided not to escort the suspects back to Pinamungajan. Only PO1 Joselito Genon was left escorting suspects Joed Silva, 21, and Joel Canillas, 21.

On the way back to Pinamungajan, a town in western Cebu about two hours away from Cebu City, and precisely because of loose security, Silva and Canillas found the chance to jump off the patrol car while the vehicle was travelling slowly because of a foot procession.

They were still in handcuffs when chased by the police.

Canillas was arrested a few minutes later while Silva was arrested the next day at the house of his mother in Barangay Tajao, Pinamungajan.

Supt. Rodolfo Albotra, PIDMB chief, told The FREEMAN that as the arresting officers, the two police officers should have escorted the detainees back to Pinamungajan.

“Gawas sad nga mga arresting officers sila, sila man sad ang kauban nga nag-file sa kaso dapat mauli nila ang mga piniriso safe and sound (Aside from the fact that they were the arresting officers and that they personally filed the case, they should have made sure that the suspects were brought back safe and sound),” Albotra said.

During investigation, the two policemen reasoned that they decided to stay in Cebu City because it was their day off at that time and that it was impractical for them to go back to Pinamungajan. Both are residents of Cebu City.

But Albotra said that both policemen did not have any legal authority to delegate the task to Genon.

“Kung mao na, they better informed their chief para unta madungagan ang escort, pero dili gihapon sakto ilang gihimo nga procedure sa custody sa piniriso (If that’s the case, they should have informed their chief so that additional escort was provided…still, what they did was a violation of the procedure in taking custody of suspects),” Albotra said.  (FREEMAN)