Friday, September 05, 2008 Complainants express disinterest in case vs cops By Annabelle L. Ricalde
TWO key complainants in the illegal arrests charges filed against the four senior officers and 15 members of the Cagayan de Oro Police Office Special Weapons and Tactics Team have filed affidavits of desistance before the National Police Commission.
Napolcom Northern Mindanao Director Luisa Ofina said Airene Alindam of Barangay Bulua and Cyrus Clent Jadap of Barangay Bonbon, this city have expressed their disinterest in pursuing their complaints against the policemen.
Alindam and Jadap along with Barangay chief Richard Gepte of Balingoan, Misamis Oriental have earlier filed illegal arrest cases against Chief Insp. Jason Aguillon, former chief of the Special Operation Group (SOG), P/Chief Insp. Salvador Radam, Chief Inspectors Aaron Mandia and Danieldo Tumanda of the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office.
Also named in their complaint are: Senior Police Officers 2 Noel Oclaret and Francisco Dayandayan, Senior Police Officer 1 Allan Gumatas; Police Officers 3 Hernani Gelogo, Eugene Solidarios, Angelito Baquilid, Earl Valconcha, Willy Caturan, Ronny Abamonga, Richard Cervantes, Police Officers 2 Ronie Destura, Ronald Patriana; and Police Officers 1 Jerome Capagngan, Juben Rosales and Andy Balabat.
Ofina said only Gepte had not withdrawn his complaint filed at the Napolcom regional office.
She said the desistance of the complainants will not be the basis for the dropping of the case against the policemen.
"The decision will still depend from the Commissioners en banc in our Central office, so I cannot comment anything on the case," Ofina told SunStar Cagayan de Oro.
Jadap was arrested by the police officers in Barangay Bulua together with Gepte for allegedly trying to rob a local trader last March 16, 2008.
He and Gepte were presented to Mayor Constantino Jaraula and the media by City Police Director Isagani Genabe, Jr., who said they were arrested as a result of a hot pursuit operation by the CMG.
Jadap, in his complaint to the Ombudsman, denied that accusation. Instead he said they were illegally detained, tortured and evidence was planted on them by the police officers.
