Two Fuente cops relieved, ordered to remain at HQ

Relief orders were issued yesterday against  two Fuente station policemen accused of murder in the April 6 death of a child beggar in Cebu city.

PO2 Raymonita Mesa and PO2 Manuel Luis Sejano were immediately reassigned to the headquarters of the Cebu City Police Office (CPPO) a day after criminal and administrative charges were filed against them and Chief Inspector Wildemar Tiu before the Visayas Ombudsman’s Office.

“They will be placed in the holding office here in the administration department so they can easily be contacted for investigation,” said OIC Cebu city police chief Senior Supt. Marciano Batiancela Jr.

Meanwhile, Tiu, former Fuente station chief, remains temporarily assigned  in R3 or the Operations Division of the Police Regional Office, a transfer that started June 8.

He was seen visiting the Fuente station past 10 a.m. yesterday but he declined to be interviewed.

Tiu has repeatedly denied that Fuente police apprehended 11-year-old Chastity Mirabiles or that they rounded up street children on Easter Sunday, April 5.

Tiu was charged by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) with grave misconduct and obstruction of justice for presenting a “coached witness”, a male beggar he allegedly instructed to lie before the NBI to mislead investigators about seeing Chastity being beaten up by her step father.

His lawyer Leilani Villarino declined to issue a statement. She said she was only engaged to represent Tiu in a separate administrative case filed before the PNP regarding a complaint that Fuente police shaved the heads of  female minors they apprehended.

“I haven’t talked with him yet. That’s a different case so I would not know if he wants me to handle it,” said Villarino in a text to CDN.

The two other policemen were charged with murder and grave misconduct for allegedly rough handling Chastity.

The girl was picked up with another child beggar in the dawn hours of Easter Sunday on General Maxilom Avenue and detained for several hours in the Fuente police station.

The two policemen were identified by Chastity’s companion, a minor, from photographs of police personnel.  PO2 Mesa was allegedly the one who “kicked” the little girl awake from her sleeping position on the street and loaded her on a patrol vehicle, driven by PO2  Sejana.

They both denied the charge, saying they were off duty or somewhere else on April 5.

“Naghilak gani to kas-a nga nidool nako kay kinsa man ang dili magool ani nga kaso. Ni-anhi ang NBI aron mukuha sa mga pictures nila.  said in an earlier interview with Chief Insp. David Señor, officer-in-charge of Cebu City Police Office.

(They were crying when they approached me after the NBI came to get photos of Fuente station personnel. Who wouldn’t be upset to be facing these charges?”) said Chief Insp. David Señor, OIC of the Fuente station

From serving the beat patrol along Mango Avenue for two years, the two policemen were given new assignments.  PO2 Mesa was transferred to the beat patrol in Escario Street  while PO2 Sejano was placed in the responding alert team.

Señor told reporters he knew both police officers as hard workers.

Chastity’s uncle Renato said the family in barangay Calamba was happy that the charges were filed against those responsible for the  girl’s death.

“Pero nanghinaut mi nga ma-conbikto gyud sila. (We’re hoping that the respondents will be convicted),” he said.

Renato said he hopes the three Cebu City policemen would be dismissed from service.