CUNANAN
THE policeman whose locker was found with shabu and two grenades is now being investigated by the Police Regional Office (PRO-7).
PO1 Moises Cunanan used to be assigned at the Bogo City Police Office but was transferred last August to Dimiao Police Station in Bohol.
Cunanan used two lockers in the barracks of the Bogo City Police Station but never turned over these lockers when he was transferred to Bohol.
Senior Insp. Irish Dilem of the Bogo police said the newly assigned station chief, Supt. Byron Alatog, ordered a surprise inspection of the barracks inside the station, including the lockers being used by the personnel.
Dilem, in an interview with Cebu Daily News, said they discovered 30 grams of shabu in six small packs, valued by the Dangerous Drug Board (DDB) at P354,000, and two fragmentation grenades inside Cunanan’s locker.
“Upon verification (the two fragmentation grenades), dili na evidence nga na-confiscate sa atong police station. Wala na siyay record nga ebidensiya to. Dapat naa siya sa proper office for storage or disposal. That alone, it’s already a question nganong naa sa iyahang locker,” Dilem said.
(The grenades were not evidence confiscated by our police station. There is no record of that. The grenades should have been in the proper office for storage or disposal. That alone makes it questionable.)
Dilem said that even when Cunanan was already assigned in Bohol, he kept coming back to his locker at the Bogo police station.
Cebu Provincial Police Office director Senior Supt. Eric Noble said they are now closely coordinating with the Bohol Provincial Police Office regarding Cunanan since they no longer have jurisdiction over him.
Noble encouraged police station chiefs to do surprise inspections on their policemen.
Meanwhile, Regional Police director Chief Supt. Noli Taliño ordered an investigation on Cunanan.
“If there is enough basis, they can file criminal and administrative charges against the policeman, and we will make sure he will answer for his infractions,” he told reporters yesterday.
If the seized items were used as evidence, Taliño said Cunanan should have turned them over to Philippine National Police’s Crime Laboratory.
“Arresting officers are not allowed to keep evidence, especially illegal drugs. This should serve as a reminder to all policemen. Never keep the evidence,” the PRO-7 director said.
“Let’s wait for the results of the investigation and the recommendation of the provincial police,” Taliño added.