Dumanjug harassment: Police to file charges vs barangay captain and one other suspect

A group of armed men allegedly kicked and pointed guns at a group of individuals in Barangay Tapon, Dumanjug, Cebu on Sunday, October 29, 2023. | Screenshot from video courtesy of Tapon Unya

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Police are now preparing to file charges of illegal possession of firearms and violation of the election gun ban against the two identified suspects who allegedly harassed a group of individuals in Purok 6, Barangay Tapon, Dumanjug town in southwestern Cebu on Sunday evening, October 29, 2023.

Meanwhile, an investigation is ongoing to identify the two other alleged suspects to the incident.

READ: Dumanjug harassment: Police identify two of four suspects, who pointed guns at victims

Dumanjug harassment: Cops gathering evidence

Police Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), said that they were gathering pieces of evidence in order for them to file the appropriate charges against the alleged suspects. 

“We are now in the process of preparing pieces of evidence para makafile na ta og kaso. So ang among focus karon is as soon as possible, makompleto namo ang ebidensya dayon makafile na ta og kaso,” he said.

(We are now in the process of preparing pieces of evidence so that we can file a case. So our focus is as soon as possible, when we complete the gathering of evidence then we can file a case.)

READ: Police: Barangay and SK elections 2023 ‘peaceful and orderly’

Barangay captain allegedly tagged

One day before the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections on Monday, October 30, a harassment incident allegedly took place in Dumanjug which involved one barangay captain.

A video that has gone viral on social media shows the moment when some armed men allegedly approached a group of individuals by the side of the road. The men then allegedly kicked and pointed firearms at the victims. 

After the incident was reported to the Dumanjug Police Station at around 1:30 a.m. on Monday, responding officers headed to the area but the alleged suspects have already fled from the scene.

READ: 14 ‘vote-buying’ incidents recorded in Central Visayas – Comelec

Two suspects identified

Police Major Nolan Tagsip, spokesperson of the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO), earlier told reporters that they had identified two of the four suspects who couls be seen in the viral video.

According to Tagsip, one of the alleged suspects who was seen in the video was a barangay captain who was running to be a barangay councilor.

As of this writing, the other two suspects remain unidentified, said Pelare.

Pelare also disclosed that while they wee in the process of identifying the other two, the person who captured the video had expressed that he would be willing to make an affidavit of what he witnessed.

READ: Shootings disrupt Barangay, SK Elections in Basilan: 1 dead

Willing to execute affidavit

“We are conducting identification katong sa duha. The good thing is katong nakakuha sa video, he is willing to execute an affidavit which is a very good development for us kay makafile gyud tag kaso,” Pelare said.

(We are conducting the identification process of the two [other suspects]. The good thing is the one who took the video, he is willing to execute an affidavit, which is a very good development for us because we can file a case.

Pelare assured that they would continue to conduct their investigation to make sure that the alleged suspects would be facing the appropriate charges and would be sent to jail.