Mariano orders probe on involvement of cops in Akrho’s celebration

Police Colonel Roderick Mariano

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Police Colonel Roderick Mariano, director of Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO), has promised to look into reports on the alleged involvement of some policemen in the Alpha Kappa Rho anniversary celebration on Saturday, August 8.

Mariano will especially look into reports that two policemen joined the gathering of the fraternity’s Minglanilla chapter.

“We will investigate that. Hindi pa ako nabigyan ng report dyan (Is still haven’t received the report on that),” Mariano said during an interview with reporters this Sunday morning, August 9.

Acting on netizens complaint, police raided on Saturday night, a vacant lot in Sitio Pitogo, Barangay Tubod in Minglanilla town, where AKRHO members converged for their anniversary celebration.

Unconfirmed reports said that among those rounded up were two cops, who are also fraternity members.

READ: 52 Akrho members nabbed, fined for violating social distancing protocols

Mariano said that mass gatherings are still prohibited even if Cebu province is now under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ).

Violators, he said, will be arrested and fined based on existing regulations.

“Sobrang dami nila… yung dapat na hindi nila dapat gawin. Lagi natin sinasabi sa kanila na iwasan yong pag violate dahil under pa rin tayo ng quarantine guidelines,” said Mariano.

(It was a huge crowd, something that is prohibited.  We have been repeatedly reminding Cebuanos to avoid gatherings because we are still covered by quarantine guidelines.)

Aside from the failure of fraternity members of observe social distancing, residents in Sitio Pitogo also complained of the noise and disturbance that they have created. / dcb