CEBU CITY, Philippines —No one is above the law.
This is what Police Colonel Roderick Mariano, director of the Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO), said regarding the arrest of Argao police chief, Police Major Ildefonso Miranda.
Miranda was arrested on Thursday night, March 5, 2020, after police raided his office at the Argao Police Station and found two women detainees inside.
Read: Argao police chief nabbed for keeping woman facing drug charges in office
After the arrest, Mariano installed Police Captain Elstone Dabon, Jr. as Officer In Charge of the Argao Police Station.
Mariano instructed the new OIC to encourage the Argao policemen to be fearless in reporting their head’s illegal activities.
“There is no person above the law. We all have our responsibilities, which includes reporting our fellow officers who violate the law,” said Mariano.
Miranda reportedly kept drug suspect Jean Villanueva De Guzman in his office for months instead of putting her in a detention cell with other inmates.
After the arrest, Miranda allegedly claimed that his only mistake was “falling in love” with the 23-year-old De Guzman.
Police Brigadier General Domingo Cabillan, deputy regional director for administration of Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), said in a press briefing on Monday morning, March 9, 2020, that Miranda knows the law and should be the one to implement it, not break it.
“As a public official, di niya dapat pakialaman ang mga preso, kasi may batas tayo,” he said.
(As a public official, he souldn’t have interfered with an inmate, because we have laws to follow.)
“It is only the court who can dictate where to put an inmate,” he added.
On Monday morning, Miranda was brought to the prosecutor’s office of Argao, where the three criminal charges were filed.
The cases are violation of Republic Act No. 3019 or the anti-graft and corruption act, Article 210 or direct bribery, and Article 156 or the delivery of prisoners from jail of the Revised Penal Code.
All the three cases are bailable and should Miranda be able to post bail, Cabillan said he will be reporting to PRO-7, where he will be supervised while the investigation for his administrative charge for grave misconduct is also being pursued.
The two women involved with Miranda said Cabillan, already had a committment order and will be transferred to the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center this week.
Meanwhile, Mariano said the policemen of Argao under Miranda’s watch will still be investigated. /bmjo
Read: Policemen assigned to Argao police station to be investigated