Monday, May 21, 2007 Cops in 'kotong' formally charged By Rhodamae M. Hernandez
SIXTEEN policemen seen in a video of a news team here receiving bribes from a helper of a cargo truck face charges of grave misconduct filed against them by the Davao City Police Office-City Internal Affairs and Services Unit.
Charged were Police Officers Noracio Cabe, Rolando Olando, Eliseo Dizon Ramos Jr., Gilbert Diaz Parilla, of the Sasa Police; Ronnie Payosalan, Carl Loazarito, Noel Tipay Albay, Joel Virtudazo Panes, Ferdinand dela Cruz Agustin, Ronnie Arana, Richard Inguillo of the Mobile Patrol Group; Roger Danila of the Tibungco COMPAC station; Najar Amisali, Jeorge dela Cerna, Democrito Cainglet and Richard Daraman of the Bunawan police after the CIAS found probable court to hold them for court trial.
In an affidavit, Jerry M. Rentucan, a resident of Davao city, and a cameraman of ABS-CBN Broadcasting Company said that at around 11 p.m. of March 4, he was with reporters Elric Ayop and Juliet Maligad in Tagum City to cover a shooting incident along the national highway.
He said that while they were interviewing a police officer there, they were told about a vehicular incident at Magdum in Tagum city and they proceeded to the area.
It was there that they saw a ten-wheeler truck loaded with falcata logs on the way to Davao City.
As they have been receiving several complaints from alleged mulcting by policemen on trucks delivering falcata logs to Davao City, the news team followed the truck, taking footages of the trip.
He claimed that the truck stopped when they reached the police checkpoint in Magdum in Tagum city and a man, later identified as the truck helper, went out of the truck and went first to a Kia Picanto police car and then the police outpost.
The helper returned to the truck soon after.
The news team still trailed the truck.
He said that at around 1:30 p.m. of March 5, they approached the helper and interviewed him.
They were told that it was their standard operating procedure to give money to policemen manning the checkpoints, police outposts, and stations because if they failed to do so, they will be chased and will try to look for errors in their documents.
He said that the truck helper also told them that it will cost them a total P4,800 each trip.
The driver and helper told them to witness what is really happening, it's best if the team goes with them throughout the trip.
The cameraman was then told to ride with the truck just after they left Madaum.
He claimed that he took a video footage of the money prepared by the helper and their first stop in Bingcongan in Tagum up to their last stop in Sasa police station in Sasa, Davao city.
He said that the truck would stop in front of every checkpoint and gave money to the policemen as shown in his video footage.
