Wednesday, January 16, 2008 (Philippines)

News reporter Mia E. Abellana and photography group chief Alex Badayos of Sun.Star Cebu yesterday appeared before Comelec Law Division in Manila as witnesses in the police complaint against Bogo City Mayor Junie Martinez and 20 others. The complaint stemmed from the July 9, 2007 incident in which the Bogo mayor and other respondents allegedly snatched ballot boxes from police and Comelec personnel, In the same incident, men identified with the Martinez camp mauled photographer Badayos.(Sun.star photo/Alex Badayos) THE Cebu City Police Homicide Section is waiting for an autopsy result before deciding if there’s a need to press charges against a Mobile Patrol policeman who shot and killed an armed person. The mayor, however, sees no need for such a test. “To me, he should have shot him in the head,” Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said of PO1 Richard Condes, who shot in the buttocks and leg a stabbing suspect who later died after losing so much blood. “There is no such thing as overkill. The police should be commended for his job. We cannot allow our policemen to be paranoid (that they might end up in trouble for doing their work),” the mayor said. [full story]