Yapha
Suspended Pinamungajan Councilor Jeffrey Anthony Yapha demanded an apology from the Toledo City police for “spreading wrong information” by saying that he was arrested at his home last Thursday.
In an earlier report, police claimed that Yapha was arrested in his house in barangay Poblacion, Toledo City last Thursday for allegedly failing to return a government-issued firearm.
But Yapha, in an interview with Cebu Daily News, said this never happened.
“I demand a public apology. What they did was humiliating,” he told CDN by phone yesterday.
The suspended councilor said he doesn’t even reside in the city, since he is an elected official of Pinamungajan.
Assistance
An arrest warrant was issued by Toledo City Regional Trial Court Branch 29 Judge Ruben Altubar against Yapha on charges of malversation of public property after he supposedly failed to return a government-issued firearm.
Supt. Ali Baron, Toledo City police chief, said Yapha wasn’t arrested by police.
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While saying that he is willing to apologize, Baron clarified that the report didn’t come from him. Baron said Yapha didn’t call him to clarify the report.
“Yapha went to the precinct voluntarily to seek help in posting bail in court. An arrest warrant was issued against him by Judge Altubar and since we were the nearest police precinct, he went to us for assistance. Any court will not entertain you unless you have police assisting you. But for the record he was never arrested,” Baron said.
The arrest warrant was supposedly served by a team composed of SPO1 Ahmen Barquin and PO3 Carlos Barluado.
Warrant
Yapha said he learned about the warrant from his lawyer last Wednesday.
He said he immediately posted the P40,000-bail the following day.
Yapha said he went to the court and the Toledo City police precinct to settle everything, insisting that he was never arrested.
The demand letter was sent to the two policemen who were supposed to serve the warrant since they were mentioned in the news report.
A copy will also be furnished to the police chief for him to hold as basis for investigation, Yapha said.
Confused
“Why couldn’t they have just said that I went to the police station? What they said was very different from what happened,” the official said.
Asked whether he would file charges against the policemen, Yapha said an apology is enough for now. He said the incident left him quite frustrated and confused.
“They knew what happened. I don’t know if they can get something out of this. I doubt they will get promoted for what they did,” Yapha said.
Yapha also clarified that he already returned the disputed firearm, a 9mm Tanfaglio pistol valued at P24,750, to the municipal treasurer last February 16.
He said he instructed his lawyer to file a motion to quash the case filed against him before the RTC since the firearm is no longer a concern.
Notice
Early this year, the anti-graft office suspended Yapha for one year because he did not return the pistol even after several notices issued by the municipal treasurer to him in 2013.
Pinamungajan Mayor Glen Baricuatro ordered Municipal Treasurer Ursula Managaytay to recall all vehicles and firearms following a notice from the firearms licensing division of Camp Crame that the license issued to Yapha’s firearm had expired.
Yapha argued that he did not have to return the pistol because he is an incumbent councilor and that he was renewing the license at his own expense.
Yapha said he asked he town to be allocated a budget to renew the license, but was told no appropriation was made.
“I didn’t hurt anyone. I did not steal money. The item was returned in good condition. I was in good faith in retaining the possession of such firearm,” he added.
Yapha said he received communication from the Ombudsman that his one-year suspension has been reduced to six months and one day.
He said he will resume his post as municipal councilor on September 27.
CPPO provincial director Senior Supt. Noel Gillamac, said he will order the Provincial Investigation and Detection Management Branch (PIDMB) to investigate the case.