POLICE Major Chuck Barandog, commander of the Cebu Mobile Company Force, and some of his men are facing a string of cases filed by supporters of Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña and Councilor Mary Ann de los Santos following their confrontation at a checkpoint in Barangay Kasambagan last Sunday, April 28.
William Armian Jr., who identified himself as a supporter of de los Santos, lodged the complaint for grave threats and violations of Republic Act 6713, or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Resolution 10468 and grave misconduct against them.
Of the six complainants, only Armian filed the case for grave threats after Barandog reportedly threatened to shoot him when the latter ordered him to stop his motorcycle while tailing de los Santos’ vehicle last Sunday.
The complaints were subscribed and sworn to before the City Prosecutor’s Office but were officially filed before the Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for the Military and Other Law Enforcement Officer on Tuesday, April 30.
Armian narrated that while following the vehicle of de los Santos, a police officer from the side abruptly and forcibly stopped him.
“After I was stopped by the police officer, the other police members came near me. Then I noticed that one police member attempted to hold my right side pocket. When I noticed it, I then immediately asked, ‘Unsa man ni sir? (What is this about, sir?)’ But instead of answering me, Police Major Barandog did not mind me and he continued to utter words arrogantly, saying, ‘Daplin! Daplin! Di ka mohunong, pusilon tika ron! (Stop! Stop! On the side! On the side! If you won’t stop, I’ll shoot you!)’ While Police Major Barandog uttered these words, he was still grabbing my arm and was shaking me, while his other arm was holding a gun,” read his affidavit.
He said he was able to identify Barandog through the latter’s name plate.
Philip Anian Abella, for his part, said he filed the charges against Barandog because the police officer and his men committed several violations while conducting the checkpoint.
Legitimate operation
Under Comelec checkpoint guidelines, authorities are not allowed to ask or order passengers to get out of their vehicles, he said.
Police Regional Office 7 Director Debold Sinas said he was not worried his men were charged in relation to the checkpoint breach involving one of Councilor de los Santos’ supporters last Sunday.
The checkpoint was legitimate and authorized by Comelec, he said.
The police official said they are preparing complaints against Mayor Osmeña and de los Santos for harassing his men.
Sinas was thankful that his men did not fire at de los Santos’ convoy after one of her supporters breached the checkpoint.
“They’re very lucky my men didn’t shoot at them. It was a legitimate checkpoint, and one of them didn’t stop. If this had happened in Mindanao or in Luzon, maybe the outcome would have been different. They might have been shot,” he said in Cebuano.
He said the blessings his men received from Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma and Papal Nuncio Gabriele Caccia during the National Youth Day helped them remain calm during the tense encounter.
Sinas urged drivers to stop at checkpoints.
Sinas saw the video of Osmeña interacting with his men at the checkpoint. The mayor should not have raised his voice at them, he said.
Cebu City Councilor Joel Garganera agreed. The chairman of the Police Advisory Council clarified that police did not ask de los Santos to get out of her vehicle, contrary to Osmeña’s claim in his Facebook post.
“I’m not here to defend the PNP (Philippine National Police) because they can defend themselves. I am just trying to point out the inconsistency of their allegations,” he said.
He said the video circulating in social media shows the checkpoint was conducted in a well-lighted area, there was a sign and police officers were in proper uniform.
Garganera said the police were just doing their job.
“You see the video. Who is harassing who? Did you ever hear the police raise their voices? In fact, the mayor was all high pitch and he took over the checkpoint,” he said.
Garganera said only those who have secrets and are running illegal activities are afraid of checkpoints. (with AYB, PAC of SuperBalita Cebu/PJB)