|
Saturday, January 29, 2005
Police chief insists there was a chase
By Oscar C. Pineda Sun.Star Staff Reporter
With Allan I. Varquez
LAPU-LAPU City Police Chief Louie Oppus ordered the arrest of two Surigao del Norte policemen yesterday, two days after they were questioned for escorting Rep. Glenda Ecleo with insufficient papers.
Oppus also stood by his men’s account that a chase ensued after the two policemen’s van failed to stop at a checkpoint set up outside the Mactan airport Wednesday night.
“One of their (Ecleos’) vehicles did not stop. It’s up to the people whom to believe. Nothing more, nothing less,” Oppus said.
Congresswoman Ecleo earlier denied there was a chase between their group and the Special Weapons and Tactics (Swat) team.
She arrived in Cebu with her family for the hearing of the parricide case against her eldest son Ruben Ecleo Jr.
“It was a valid operation and it was my men in the field who described to me that the vehicle they were chasing was a Strada,” Oppus said.
The chase was reported in the police blotter.
The police chief also said an illegal possession of firearms charge will be filed against PO3 Warlito Namocot Acain, 38, and PO2 Romeo Estubio Ecle, 45, who were detained starting yesterday.
Acain’s super .38 pistol and Ecle’s .45 pistol were confiscated.
Oppus gave three reasons for arresting two policemen:
l their patrol order is only good within Surigao del Norte;
l their patrol order did not specify the type of firearms they were carrying; and
l their guns were covered by memorandum receipts, but not licensed.
Both Acain and Ecle refused to be interviewed.
Oppus said they had been waiting since Wednesday afternoon for a fax message from Acain and Ecle’s unit, to clarify the discrepancies in the documents the two presented.
But nothing was sent to the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office so they made their move yesterday.
At 4 p.m., investigation chief SPO4 Damiano Montebon explained to the two policemen their offense.
They were read their rights and then placed under arrest.
About an hour later, Swat team leader Senior Insp. Jonathan Pineda escorted the two to their holding cell.
(January 29, 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
WEEKEND
|
