Parents nabbed for helping son escape from police in Cebu City

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The parents of a man, who has a warrant of arrest, landed in jail after they were arrested by police for allegedly helping their son escape during the conduct of the “Oplan Disiplina” on Wednesday, November 15, 2023.

According to Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) Deputy Director for Operations, Police Lieutenant Colonel Janette Rafter, the arrest was made during the first day of the relaunch of “Oplan Disiplina.”

READ: Buy bust in Tagbilaran City: Property caretaker, 3 others nabbed

Parents allegedly helped suspect escape

Police went to the alleged suspect’s house in Barangay Pahina Central, Cebu City on Wednesday evening to serve the warrant of arrest against him.

However, the man’s parents allegedly allowed him to elude arrest which led to their own arrest for obstruction of justice.

“Unfortunately, naa toy mga circumstances nga wala na siya na-aresto tungod kay naay ningbabag. So mao to nga na-aresto nato ang kabanay niya for obstruction of justice,” said Rafter.

(Unfortunately, there are circumstance that we failed to arrest the suspect because somebody (the parents) intervened. So that is why we arrested his kin for obstruction of justice.)

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Oplan disiplina

Oplan Displina, which was last conducted during the pandemic, is a program that aims to teach residents to behave appropriately and refrain from breaking city ordinances.

This refers to rules in Cebu City like no smoking, no throwing garbage anywhere, no urinating in public, and no illegal parking.

Rafter said that they had plans to expand the reach of the operations in other City hall departments, including traffic.

“Definitely, we will innovate it. It’s going to involve more departments. And Oplan Disiplina will involve tanan na (all), [like] ang  (the) traffic, in putting back order and safety and security sa isa ka lugar (in one area),” said Rafter.

She further said that the campaign would be conducted every night in all the barangays.

“We are doing it sa isa ka barangay or kung asa man gani na nakita namo nga kinahanglan gyud og presensya sa atong mga kapulisan. So that is just going to be the start…” the police official said.

(We are doing it in one barangay or where we see the need for the presence of police. So that is just going to be the start…)

READ: Teacher, minor, 5 others collared in separate buy bust operations in Consolacion town

Christmas, New Year, Sinulog

With the upcoming Christmas and New Year celebrations as well as the annual Sinulog festival, police here will be constantly monitoring the busy streets.

Because of the holiday season, it is expected that people will leave their homes often to celebrate with friends and loved ones.

And the police would also be utilizing “Oplan Disiplina” for the public to avoid being victimized by criminals, said Rafter. 

“This is also for the security of those kanang mga peace-loving nato nga tawo. To ensure nga ma-enjoy nila ang kapaskuhan ug atong Sinulog nga malinawon ug masadyaon…Isa ni sa atong mga intervention diha sa mga panghitabo nga accordingly, diri nidagan ang mga snatcher, accordingly naay mga tawo nga nagpuyo niining mga lugara nga naay mga warrant of arrest,” added Rafter. 

(This is also for the security of those of our peace-loving people. To ensure that they can enjoy the Christmas season and our Sinulog will be peaceful and fun…This is one of our interventions here for the events that will happen accordingly, this is where the snatcher will run, accordingly, there are people who live in this area and that there are warrants of arrest.)

READ: Police officer, disguised as poseur buyer, killed during buy-bust in Cebu City

Lesson learned

According to Rafter, they have learned their lesson and that they will be taking steps to ensure the safety of all police personnel during operations.

This was after Police Corporal Ryan Languido Baculi was killed during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Kinasang-an, Cebu City on Wednesday, November 15.

“We will have to be very cautious and we have to ensure that in all operations nga among buhaton is safety gyud sa atong kapulisan kay naa pud tay mga pamilya. Naningkamot pud na sa ilang mga pamilya nga naghuwat sa ilang mga tagsa tagsa ka-panimalay,” said Rafter.

(We will have to be very cautious and we have to ensure that in all operations that we make is the safety of our policemen because they too have a family. They are also working hard for their families, who are waiting in each of their homes.)

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