Saturday, August 09, 2008 Cop relieved for inaction
A TALISAY City Police desk officer has been relieved after his superior found probable cause to find him liable for not acting on a complaint filed by the family of the slain Maria Eva Mae Peligro.
Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) Director Carmelo Valmoria said SPO2 Jose Noel Pactores has been relieved and will face a summary hearing.
This was after Peligro’s brother-in-law, Joshua Ybañez, in an affidavit claimed they were not entertained when they first sought help to report Peligro missing.
They ended up going to the Minglanilla Police Station which led to the discovery that the dumped female body parts found in Campo 8, Minglanilla belonged to Peligro and her cousin Gwendolyn Balasta.
Ybañez and his wife Grace, Peligro’s sister, were worried when they could no longer contact Peligro.
When they went to the house in Azienda Firenze in Talisay City, no one was home, which was why they went to the police and wanted them to accompany them back to the house.
Valmoria explained that Talisay City Police Chief Romeo Perigo will be the one to impose discipline on his personnel.
Asked if Perigo could not be held liable for command responsibility, Valmoria said this could only be dragged on him if he knew of the complaint and knew of Pactores’ actions, but did not act on it.
He explained that if the offense fell within the authority of the police chief, he would also be the one to handle the summary hearing and assign a summary hearing officer.
As for the alleged abandonment of an ongoing crisis, Valmoria said they plan to get the side of reporters who witnessed the Talisay City Police officers pulling out of the area.
Insp. Jaime Santillan and PO1s Renato Padigos, Randy Lapay and Glenn Aranas were placed under investigation for allegedly leaving Barangay Linao when a man threatened to jump off a coconut tree.
The four policemen claim-ed they merely hid in a nearby hut to convince Geraldine Manreal to come down from the 60-foot coconut tree.
Valmoria wants to get their side after the reports. (MEA)
