The Cebu City Regional Trial Court yesterday convicted two former policemen of robbery after they took the wallet of a businessman in 2007.
SPO1 Ahmed Lozano and PO2 Alex Hermoso were found guilty of robbery and were meted the penalty of imprisonment of up to six years.
Judge Silvestre Maamo of Branch 17 gave credence to the testimonies of prosecution witnesses.
“After a painstaking and careful examination of the evidences on record, it is considered view of the court that the prosecution’s claim is more credible and in accordance with the evidence on record,” the judge said.
Lozano and Hermoso were accused of stealing the wallet of businessman Jay Mark Deodoro on Sept. 5, 2007.
In December 2010, the Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas ordered the dismissal from service of Lozano and Hermoso after they were found guilty of grave misconduct in relation to Deodoro’s case.
In his complaint, Deodoro said he was on his way to a store along A. Lopez St. in Cebu City when the two former policemen accosted him for allegedly using illegal drugs.
Deodoro said he was brought by Lozano and Hermoso to Katipunan St. in Cebu City and they took his wallet containing P41,800 in cash, driver’s license, wristwatch worth P5,000, and a cellular phone worth P7,000.
Deodoro said he was warned by the two accused not to tell anyone about what happened to him.
Hermoso and Lozano denied the allegations.
Hermoso said he was sleeping in his residence in Lapu-lapu City when Deodoro was robbed.
When he testified in court, Hermoso said he was shocked when his name was impleaded by the complainant.
He said the accusations levelled against him were “fabricated.”
For his part, Lozano said he was on an official mission in Siquijor when the crime happened.
But Judge Maamo said he has no reason to doubt the complainant’s testimony which was “straightforward and coherent.”
“There is no showing that he had any reason to falsely testify against them (Lozano and Hermoso),” he said.
In 1997, Lozano was charged with the murder in relation to the death of anti-drug crusader Alden Abi-Abi on V. Rama Ave. but the policeman was later acquitted.