Rama wants 7 CIB cops dismissed
CEBU City Mayor Michael Rama wants all seven intelligence officers accused of extortion dismissed from service.
“If these people are having a problem, dismiss them. That’s why we have to insist on a constitutional change (to allow mayors to dismiss policemen),” Rama told reporters yesterday.
Supt. Artemio Ricabo, deputy city director for administration of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), said there is no concrete evidence yet to indict the seven police officers.
The seven operatives of the City Intelligence Branch (CIB) have denied allegations that they extorted money from and arbitrarily released two suspected drug personalities.
The seven officers – PO3 Robert Escarlan and Roy Ryan Cavalida; PO2 Arnulfo Reglamos, Dennis Mosqueda and Manuel Paez III; and PO1 Perceival Eborlas and Ansar Madtahil – were relieved of their posts and disarmed pending investigation of the allegations.
Ricabo said they are checking all the evidence.
Police is also tracing the text message sent to media reporters about the alleged extortion. Ricabo said it might be a tactic to get back at the police officers because of the intensified campaign against illegal drugs.
“The source for the monetary transaction was through text and Paculanang sometimes gave conflicting statements,” said Ricabo.
He said a background check on the police officers has been initiated.
Police will also look for the Pardillo cousins to get their statements and side of the story.
He said the seven cops explained that they spotted four men — Lito Paculanang, cousins Mervin and Cristian Pardillo and the taxi driver – while they were on patrol in Barangay Duljo Fatima.
However, only Paculanang was caught with seven small sachets of suspected shabu.
The seven officers said they had to release Cristian, Mervin and the taxi driver as they have no evidence against them.
The policemen denied they extorted P75,000 each from the Pardillo cousins for their release.
Senior Supt. Benjamin Santos Jr, acting chief of the CCPO, plans to field the seven officers as beat patrol policemen.
At present, all seven report to the administration holding office.
“They also have families. Let them go through due process. We are strict but we are also human,” said Santos.
Rama said the transfers and reassignments of top police officials “at whim” is partly to blame.
He said the constant replacement of CCPO directors leads to instability of its structural organization as well as the office’s respective directions and moral foundation.
Rama is asking Santos to present to him a clear program and plans for the office.
“If he will do good, then I will submit to have him as the regular chief of police. Why not?” he said.
The mayor earlier expressed his frustration over his failure to retain a CCPO director of his choice.
Eugene Elizalde, head of the City Hall’s Police Coordinating and Advisory Council (PCAC), said they will just wait for the result of the investigation of the City Investigation and Detection Management Branch regarding the incident in Duljo-Fatima.
“I don’t like to comment further because it’s already under investigation. We will just wait if protocols and procedures were lax especially because it’s drug-related,” Elizalde said.
The result of the CIDMB investigation will be forwarded to the regional level for review.
An anonymous texter tipped the media about the alleged extortion that happened last Sunday especially mentioning the name of PO2 Mosqueda as the negotiator.
Ricabo said they will also ask Supt. Palaleo Adddag, CIB chief, to explain what happened while Insp. Gomersendo Mandawe, deputy chief of CIB, might also be relieved from his post.
Disclaimer: The comments uploaded on this site do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of management and owner of Cebudailynews. We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards.
