|
Monday, April 11, 2005
Police officer: Cop chief 'met with gamblers'
By Danilo V. Adorador III
* City police chief demands proof, says it's black propaganda
* Cervantes says he's still in control of his people
THE troubles just keep piling for embattled Cagayan de Oro City Police Director Honorio Cervantes after a colleague said the police chief is allegedly in cahoots with some financiers of the illegal numbers game "suertres".
The police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he was privy to a supposed meeting between Cevantes and a former Misamis Oriental mayor whose identity is being withheld by Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro until his side is heard on the matter.
Cervantes denied the meeting, saying some personalities are out to malign his name.
The meeting between the alleged "suertres" financier and Cervantes took place sometime after the latter was installed as the new chief of the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office in February, the source alleged.
The meeting took place in Harbor Lights restaurant in Gusa, this city, the anonymous police officer said. Cervantes was allegedly accompanied by one police officer.
When asked on the nature of the meeting, the police officer said: "basin nakig-sabot ang financier kay siya na gud ang bag-ong hepe dire (The financier might want to strike a deal because he is the new chief here)."
No grudge
The police officer likewise alleged that Cervantes on various occasions disapproved a number of planned raids on suspected gambling and drug dens in the city.
The anonymous source however said he has no personal animosity with Cervantes and he only chose to speak to Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro on his "information" to "straighten things out".
"Kay ngano man diay ug motug-an ko sa tinoud, nasuko na diay ko niya? Kung naa man ko'y kasuko, dili man gihapon matuis ang kamatouran nga nakalapas siya sa balaod (So what if I tell the truth, does it mean I am angry with him? Suppose I hold a grudge against him, the fact the he violated the law does not change the truth)," he explained.
But Cervantes who said there is a smear campaign against him dismissed this claim as "absurd" and "unfounded".
"That's a serious accusation and that policemen, whoever he is, must show proof to his allegations," Cevantes stressed, adding that he's open to any investigation.
An allegation, Cervantes said, remains an allegation, "unless he would come out and sue me."
"This is a foul accusation," he added, even as he considers conducting background checks on all city police personnel "to purge the city police of scalawags."
Monitored
Despite all accusations leveled against him, he said he is still in control of his men.
These developments came even as a police officer of the City Mobile Group (CMG), Police Officer 3 Mamintal Masacal, got charged with the kidnapping of Muslim trader Nacuda Nuska of La Buena Vida.
Nuska was seized by four men inside his vehicle at Aguinaldo-Justo Ramonal Streets on March 26. He was freed on April 4 after his wife paid the kidnappers P1.1 million ransom.
Police Officer 3 Masacal was positively identified by Nuska's wife, Monabansa, and her house helper, as among the group who abducted her husband.
But in an interview, Masacal told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro he knew nothing of the incident.
He said he even went to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 10 office to clear his name.
An NBI 10 official claimed the police official is still being "monitored" but refused to divulge the name of the suspect.
The police official was seen with Masacal before the kidnapping took place. Masacal is now detained at the Maharlika Detention Center.
(April 11, 2005 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
|
