Napolcom willing to probe cop for threats on scribe

The regional National Police Commission said they can investigate a police officer facing transfer for allegedly threatening a reporter in Lapu-Lapu City.

But lawyer Homer Mariano Cabaral of Napolcom-7 said they have to make sure that no other agency is conducting an investigation to avoid forum shopping or an act of filing two remedies in different investigating units.

“We can investigate but as I have read on the papers, the Police Regional Office is looking into this case. If the accusations are true, I should remind policemen that making threats to anyone is wrong,” Cabaral said.

Chief Supt. Noli Taliño earlier hinted at transferring SPO2 Esnang Sarapuddin to the Cordillera region if the policeman is found to have threatened radio DySS reporter and Cebu Daily News correspondent Norman Mendoza.

Taliño directed Senior Supt. Rommel Cabagnot, chief of the Lapu-Lapu City Police, to investigate the incident.

Mendoza accused Sarapuddin of threatening him while he was covering a demolition in Lapu-Lapu City under the first Mandaue-Mactan bridge last Sept. 2.
Mendoza said Sarapuddin accused him of taking videos.

Mendoza said he was just covering the demolition, but the policeman thought he was taking videos of him.

Mendoza reported the incident to the Lapu-Lapu City police after two unidentified men went to his home in Mandaue City last Wednesday and asked for his whereabouts.

Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza said she also wants Sarapuddin transferred pending an investigation into the incident.

In a text message sent to reporters yesterday, Sarapuddin, who’s assigned in the City Public Safety Company (CPSC) of the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office, said it’s okay to him if the mayor wants him transferred since he cannot do anything about it.