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Friday, September 21, 2007
Show entire footage of mauling, cop's lawyer asks
CEBU CITY -- The lawyer of a Mandaue City police official accused of attacking a TV news crew challenged the management of ABS-CBN Thursday to air the “full and unedited” footage of the incident.
Lawyer Nestor Archival said that his client, Senior Inspector Jose Liddawa, is the “real victim” in the incident.
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“Bun-og kaayo si Liddawa (Liddawa was badly bruised),” said Archival of the relieved Subangdaku police station chief.
He added that Liddawa, who still has not reported for work, was mauled during the incident.
ABS-CBN, according to station manager Veneranda “Tata” Cinco-Sy, will cooperate with any investigation and that their lawyers are looking into the matter.
Archival challenged ABS-CBN to investigate the news team involved in the incident, accusing the station’s employees of also being under the influence of liquor at that time.
The lawyer is asking the Philippine National Police to get to the bottom of the incident and not rely on information supplied by the media.
Archival said that what happened last Tuesday was a “simple” vehicular accident. He said his client may be blamed for the accident but not for the altercation that erupted shortly after the collision.
Archival said that after the Hyundai sedan Liddawa was driving veered off its lane and collided with the Nissan Frontier of ABS-CBN, the police official immediately got off the car to check the damage. But someone who came out of ABS-CBN’s vehicle allegedly punched him in the face.
The attack, according to Archival, prompted the police officer to get back inside his car to get his gun, which a companion kept.
“Kadtong footage nga ilang gipakita nga murag yawa si Liddawa nga nigawas gikan sa sakyanan, ikaduha nato niya nga gawas. Suko kaayo siya kay nasukmagan na siya ato. Na-provoke siya,” Archival said. (The footage they aired that showed Liddawa appearing to have lost it while coming out of the vehicle was the second time he went out of his car. He was really angry after he was punched. He was provoked.)
Versions
According to the ABS-CBN news report on the incident, Liddawa and the TV crew got out of their vehicles after the collision. An argument then erupted and Liddawa punched cameraman Joel Noel. Liddawa had a confrontation with reporter Ramil Paican and punched Noel in the face.
An ABS-CBN footage aired during its late afternoon newscast, TV Patrol Central Visayas, showed Liddawa cursing and telling the news crew that he was a policeman.
Paican, who was in the pickup together with cameraman Allan Almendras and driver Samuel Trangia, said they tried to pacify Liddawa. The police officer, however, kept on shouting, “Pulis ako.”
The report said that Liddawa fell on the ground and lost consciousness and the TV crew later took him to a private hospital in Cebu City.
But Archival said they have credible witnesses who will testify that Liddawa’s actions were in response to the punch he received. He said Liddawa kept on identifying himself as a policeman so the crew would not harm him again.
He also denied that Liddawa passed out because he was drunk.
“Nakuyapan si Liddawa kay gitabangan siya og kulata, apan wa’a na makita sa footage. Dili pud ang ABS-CBN ang mida’a niya sa ospital kon dili ang mobile patrol nga mi-responde,” said Archival. (Liddawa passed out because he was mauled. ABS-CBN did not bring him to the hospital; it was the mobile patrol who responded to the incident.)
Archival, however, said that right now, they are not inclined to file charges against the TV crew.
3 days
Liddawa still has not reported for work since the incident. Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 Director Silverio Alarcio Jr. said he will give Liddawa until Monday to explain why he should not be charged over the incident.
Alarcio said a notice for the charge against Liddawa was already served last Wednesday by registered mail, since the person tasked to serve the notice could not locate the officer.
The maximum penalty for the offense is dismissal from service, depending on the findings of the investigating body.
“Dismissal is the maximum penalty but we will give him three days to answer the charges and based on his reply, the investigating body shall make recommendations on the next steps to take, whether he should face dismissal proceedings or the case should be dismissed,” Alarcio said.
In an interview with reporters at the Cebu City Hall Thursday, he assured the policeman he will be given due process and will go through a hearing before penalties are imposed on him.
If Liddawa still does not answer the charges by Monday, Alarcio said he can decide what to do with the police officer.
“He has not reported to his assignment so if he still does not reply, we can consider it a waiver of his rights and from there we can already make a decision after three days,” he added.
Gets help
Liddawa’s actions were condemned by his colleagues in the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) Alumni Association-Central Visayas Chapter.
Supterintendent Pablo Labra II, the regional association’s president, said that Liddawa has to face whatever sanctions will be imposed on him as a consequence of his actions.
“We condemn his actuation. This is an act unbecoming of a PNPAer,” he said.
Labra, however, said that Liddawa will receive financial assistance contributed by his fellow police officers.
The amount is expected to cover his hospital bills and help him with legal expenses.
Labra, who visited Liddawa in the hospital, said the official is remorseful and is consulting his lawyer on the possibility of filing counter-charges.
When asked if Liddawa confided to him how he got his bruises, Labra said the officer could not recall how it happened. But Liddawa’s relative, who was with him during the incident, said the police officer was mauled, Labra said. (KNT/JST/LCR/Sun.Star Cebu)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Davao. (September 21, 2007 issue)
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