FIVE policemen, including a unit chief of Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo), have been ordered relieved from their respective posts after they were accused of involvement in an alleged kidnapping incident.
City police director Senior Superintendent Ronnie Francis Cariaga identified the policemen as Senior Inspector Ereneo Ramirez, chief of the Crime Against Person and Property Desk (CAPPD), and his subordinates Police officer 3 Alejandro Ubanan, Senior Police Officer 2 Jojo Lim, Senior Police Officer 1 Alaindelon Tacubao, and Police Officer 2 Hussein Bolanio.
"Gi-relieve sila and didto na sila ipareport sa Camp Alagar kay naay allegations nga involved sila sa kidnapping (They were relieved and were ordered to report in Camp Alagar because there was an allegation that they were involved in a kidnapping incident)," Cariaga said.
The order came from Northern Mindanao Police regional director Chief Superintendent Noel Constantino and took effect last Thursday, November 10.
Cariaga has yet to disclose the details of the kidnapping incident apart from saying that the victim is a certain Enrique Fernandez III, who remains missing until now.
The five policemen were implicated after being identified by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) through footages from an establishment's closed circuit television camera.
Cariaga said the NBI is handling the case to maintain impartiality and to avoid perceptions of a "whitewash" or "cover-up."
"Sakto ra pud nga NBI ang naglihok sa kaso para maiwasan ang gamay nga whitewash or unsa ba kaha nga cover up kung police ang mag investigate (It’s right thing that NBI is working on the case to avoid whitewash or what so ever cover up if the police will do the investigation)," Cariaga said.
Cariaga said he has temporarily deactivated the CAPPD and will reorganize the unit in a later date.
"Mag reorganize ko pila ka adlaw or semana, mangita ta og police nga ipuli while ongoing ang investigation(I will reorganized [the group] few days or weeks later, we will look for replacement of police while the investigation is ongoing)," Cariaga added.
The relieved police officers were ordered to report to the Regional Police Holding and Accounting Office in Camp Vicente Alagar, Lapasan, Cagayan de Oro City.
"Ang importante nga mo-appear sila sa investigation (The important is for them to appear in the investigation)," Cariaga said.
Northern Mindanao police spokesperson Superintendent Surki Sereñas said the police were relieved to give way to an impartial and fair investigation in relation to a reported incident.
"The incident was allegedly drug-related but the detail is still unclear. We will investigate and if there are irregularities, the responsible persons will have to face the consequences," Sereñas said.