Wednesday, June 13, 2007 Policeman with string of cases arrested
A POLICEMAN was arrested inside the office of Acting Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) Director Carmelo Valmoria yesterday morning.
PO2 Renato Alondres Jr., who is assigned at the Carcar Police Station, was made to report to the CPPO where he was informed that a warrant of arrest was forwarded to them by the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO).
Alondres had an arrest warrant for a child abuse case in Masbate Province.
Executive Judge Domingo Maristela Jr. of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 49 in Cataingan, Masbate issued the warrant. Bail was set at P80,000.
It was initially sent to the MCPO because Alondres used to be assigned there.
He was relieved to the CPPO last March 12 because of another case. He also reportedly has a pending grave threats case before the Office of the Ombudsman.
He was sent to the Carcar Police Station last June 4 along with five other officers from the Security and Service Group to replace eight officers relieved for an administrative investigation.
Drug test
Members of the MCPO’s Investigation and Detective Management Branch led by Insp. Ramon Villar picked Alondres up from Valmoria’s office and brought him to the Regional Crime Laboratory for a drug test.
Valmoria said there were reports Alondres used drugs and that he just wanted to verify if these reports were true.
His .45 pistol and three loaded magazines were also taken from his possession and deposited with SPO3 Wilson Dagala, the CPPO supply officer.
Alondres told Valmoria that the case was “politically motivated” because his father was a political leader for a party in Masbate.
The victim in the child abuse case is a 10-year-old boy.
It was not clear what he did to the boy, but Valmoria said Alondres was looking for someone and it was the boy who entertained him.
Alondres told Valmoria he did not harm the boy but merely asked for the person he was looking for.
The incident happened sometime in August last year. The warrant was issued last May 28.
Valmoria explained that an arrest warrant could be served anywhere.
However, he decided to serve it in his office after MCPO Director Alexander Abadinas coordinated with him and informed him of the warrant.
Other cases
“So I told him to let his personnel come here. The purpose was not to show off that we arrested someone here. I just wanted to make sure it will be served,” he told reporters.
Alondres is also facing other cases before the ombudsman and the People’s Law Enforcement Board.
The complaints filed before the anti-graft office were filed by different complainants for grave threats early this year.
Handcuffed, Alondres was brought to the Mandaue City Police Office before noon yesterday. He was with his lawyer, Norberto Luna Jr.
According to his personal data sheet, Alondres entered the police service in September 1996 and was promoted to the rank of police officer 2 in November 1998.
Alondres will be detained at Police Station 1 in Mandaue City. (MEA/With AAG)
