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Tuesday, November 11, 2003
Cop in jail for forcing durian sale
* Suspects forcing passers-by at gunpoint to purchase the durian fruits he was selling with his friend who was a gunrunner.
* Unfortunately, the suspects cocked gun at an Army officer.
DAVAO -- Another policeman and his civilian friend thought they could make a fast buck by forcing hapless residents to buy durian. They landed in jail instead when one of the "hapless residents" turned out to be an army captain.
SPO1 Joel Durano, 44, of NHA Bangkal in Davao City and assigned to the service company of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 11 in Camp Catitipan, and his friend Joel Palomeras, 33, of Sirib in Calinan, were said to be selling durian at Teachers' Village in Calinan, Sunday night, while under the influence of liquor.
But instead of just waiting for customers, the two were forcing passers-by to buy at gunpoint.
SPO4 Rolando Vosotros of the Calinan police said in an interview that both suspects were still drunk when Capt. Benedicto Viernes of the Army's 73rd Infantry Battalion endorsed them around 8 p.m. Sunday.
According to Vosotros, a .9mm caliber gun with live ammunition was found in Durano's possession, while Palomeras was found with a homemade .357 caliber gun with ammunition.
"Ang allegation lagi daw nanion daw ni sila tungod seguro sa kahubog mao nga gidis-armahan ni Capt. Viernes (They were drunk and were pointing their guns at people that's why Viernes disarmed them)," the police officer said.
Information gathered revealed that Durano and Palomeras were selling durian at Teachers Village and were forcing customers to buy by pointing a gun at them.
The suspects were unfortunate enough to hustle an Army officer who was in the area at that time.
"Detain karon ang duha diri ug among gihulat ang desisyon ni Capt. Viernes kay mura'g siya man ang complainant (The two will remain detained here while we wait for Capt. Viernes because he will stand as the complainant)," Vosotros added.
Durano stands to face both criminal and administrative charges, being in active service; while Palomeras may face criminal charges. RCO
(November 11, 2003 issue)
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