Informants of the Commission on Human Rights in Central Visayas point to investigators the location of the alleged “secret jail” inside the Sawang Calero Police Station on Tuesday, April 6, 2021. CDN Digital photo | Morexette Marie Erram
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The policemen who are facing raps on extortion, rape, and allegedly running a secret jail in Barangay Sawang Calero in Cebu City will lose their allowances from the city government.
Mayor Edgardo Labella said the city will no longer shoulder the allowances of these police officials who are facing charges of human rights violation.
“In the meantime that they are facing investigation, for as long as the investigation is ongoing, our allowances for these policemen will be held in abeyance. Hunungon una ang allowance niini because these are very serious allegations,” said Labella.
Unless the cases are terminated or they are acquitted, they will not get an allowance from the government. The mayor said this privilege to the police is only for those doing their duties properly.
Furthermore, Labella laments these reports that some policemen whom he called “scallawags” and “rotten eggs” are destroying the reputation of the police force.
He believes that most policemen are still upholding the law and serving the public right, which is why he ordered Cebu City Police Office Director, Colonel Josefino Ligan, to investigate the policemen and the truth of the secret jail in the city.
The Commission on Human Rights in Central Visayas (CHR-7) has been probing this alleged secret cell at Sawang Calero as well.
Labella said that policemen violating human rights is concerning because this has been the second time that cops have been reported to violate human rights in the precinct itself.
“This is something that should worry us because this is not the first time. I wish this is an isolated case. This has to end. We can also ask their higher-ups to explain kung ngano nahitabo ni for the second time,” said Labella.
The mayor is also recommending reshuffling the other members of the police precincts involved even if they are not necessarily a party to the reported violations to give way to an impartial and fair investigation. /rcg