Town policeman faces probe

THE Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) will investigate a member of the Dumanjug Police Station who was accused of harassing his brother-in-law. But PO1 Aquiles Redoble said his brother-in-law filed a “groundless” complaint against him to get some money out him.

Insp. Julius Ompad, head of the CPPO Provincial Investigation and Detective Management Branch (PIDMB), said Redoble will undergo a pre-charge evaluation in relation to an administrative complaint filed by Melchor Serdon Sr., 54.

Serdon, husband of Redoble’s sister, executed an affidavit yesterday.

The PIDMB will wait for Redoble's counter-affidavit.

Accusations

Serdon told Sun.Star Cebu that he and Redoble had a falling-out when the policeman’s wife accused his daughter of being a prostitute.

Serdon filed a complaint for grave oral defamation against Redoble's wife, a public elementary school teacher, before the prosecutor's office and Department of Education 7.

Since then, Serdon said, they have been harassed by Redoble.

The policeman allegedly fenced the right of way to Serdon’s house and tried to demolish their store. The Serdons also accused Redoble of cutting off their electrical connection.

Redoble also accused Serdon of estafa.

Machine

Serdon reportedly received P6,000 from Redoble on June 29, 2008 to buy a welding machine, which was to be used in a joint business venture.

Serdon said he went to Manila and lost the welding machine.

But Redoble found that the machine had been pawned to a neighbor, so he demanded that Serdon return the money.

“Pero iya ra ning himo-himo tanan. Naabot mi diri sa Cebu pag-2009 na man (He fabricated all that. We arrived in Cebu only in 2009),” Serdon said.

The fiscal dismissed the estafa case for lack of probable cause.

When sought for comment, Redoble said the complaint is his brother-in-law’s modus to extort money from him.

“In my 17 years of service, this is the first time that I experienced this,” he said in a phone interview.

He said he welcomes the investigation because he is confident he did not do anything wrong.