CEBU, Philippines — At least three cops in San Fernando town in southern Cebu are under camp restriction after a woman who sought assistance from their station accused them of rape.
The incident allegedly happened at around 8 p.m. on Saturday.
The three have also been disarmed, said Police Regional Office (PRO)-7 Director Ronnie Montejo.
He said putting the police under camp restriction is to ensure that they will be available during the course of the investigation.
The names of the cops are withheld pending result of the probe but Montejo said they have ranks of corporal and master sergeant.
Based on initial investigation, the woman sought the help of the police in San Fernando after her cousin allegedly stole her money and other items while they were on their way to Negros Oriental.
“So nangita sya’g paagi nga unsaon niya pag-uli until such time nga nahuna-hunaan niya nga muduol sya sa police station para mangayo’g tabang,” Montejo said.
This is reportedly why he immediately ordered the three cops disarmed and restricted to camp so that the matter can be looked into immediately. He admitted getting angry the first time he learned of the allegations.
“Mao to’ng nasuko pag-ingon nga gi-rape… ang police, very basic, dapat mo-assist," Montejo said.
The woman was made to undergo medical examination after she raised her complaint with the Integrity Monitoring and Enhancement Group Visayan Field Unit (IMEG-VFU).
Inconsistent?
But even with the swift action, the police are taking the allegations with a grain of salt because the woman’s statements have reportedly been inconsistent.
“During our investigation, it appeared that, that time, yung about 8 p.m. ng gabi na sinasabi ng complainant na sya ni-rape around the vicinity ng police station ay rumesponde po sa isang traffic accident yung police na yon,” said Cebu Provincial Police Director Engelbert Soriano.
Soriano said they are also verifying reports that the woman has also filed rape complaints against policemen in other stations.
“Napag-alaman namin na meron na rin syang mga police stations na pinuntahan and she has filed the same complaint, kaya kami nagtataka kung ano ang basehan nya,” he said.
“We are looking into that, yung inconsistency nya at saka yung information na na-gather ng investigators natin na ginawa na nya to previously,” Soriano added.
Montejo said he ordered for the investigation to be thorough.
“Akong giignan nga ipa-imbestiga og maayo… just in case nga dili tinuod, atong kapulisan luoy intawon… just in case nga tinuod sad ning report nga butang-butang ra ning sa complainant, unfair sa atong kapulisan,” Montejo said. — JMO (FREEMAN)