Police confident of cases vs Osmeña

CEBU, Philippines —  The Cebu City Police Office is confident of the cases it filed against Mayor Tomas Osmeña for taking custody of three men the police arrested last week.

“Yes, I am confident na the result of the investigation will be favorable sa atoa sa complainant,” said CCPO Director, Police Senior Supt. Royina Garma, yesterday.

Last Thursday, CCPO formally filed charges for obstruction of justice, grave abuse of authority, misconduct, and violation of the ethical standards for government employees against Osmeña before the Ombudsman.

Attached to the complaint were sworn affidavits from the Parian Police, Garma, blotter reports of the incident, and copy of the CCTV footage that captured Osmeña inside the Parian Police Station.

To recall, Parian cops arrested three men identified as Ramir Amaca, Romeo Appareca, and Romeo Cuevas for refilling butane canisters with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) at a public market in Barangay T. Padilla.

But Osmeña went to the Parian Police Station evening on that day and asked that the suspects be released under his custody.

Garma said the cops at the station were intimated by Osmeña’s presence that they released the three men to him.  Garma said earlier it was the first time she encountered such behavior from a local chief executive.

“Di dapat pamarisan. Let us respect. Respect ang word diyan and let us not abuse yung authority nga gihatag sa ato. Mao ra gyud ang keyword diha – respect – and walang abuse of authority,” she said.

Garma also denied having something to do with President Rodrigo Duterte slamming Osmeña for “playing untouchable.”

On Facebook, Osmeña said the president ought to know that there are two sides of a story. — JMO (FREEMAN)