A ROOKIE police officer has accused Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña of carnapping and robbery after the latter had his motorcycle and other items seized.
Patrolman Romil Granada Gelogo of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-Central Visayas had the incident recorded on the blotter of the Abellana Police Station at dawn last Sunday, May 12.
CIDG-Central Visayas is inside Camp Sotero Cabahug, where the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) is located.
According to Gelogo, he was driving his motorcycle past the camp’s gate when Osmeña blocked his way. The police officer’s shift had just ended and he was on his way home.
Gelogo said the mayor held his shoulder and asked for his license.
Osmeña reportedly called personnel of the Cebu City Transportation Office and instructed them to impound Gelogo’s motorcycle.
They also allegedly forced open his motorcycle’s utility box on the mayor’s instruction and took his cellular phone.
In his Facebook post, though, the mayor claimed they also found a Tag Heur watch worth P150,000 in the utility box.
A CIDG-Central Visayas official, who requested anonymity, told Superbalita Cebu they will file charges against Osmeña on Tuesday, May 14.
“Nganong siya man ang nagdakop? Suko na gyud kaayo siya sa police? Ikaduha, dili man na taga CCPO nga iyang initan. Gikan pa tawon to duty diri sa among opisina unya padulong na mouli (Why did the mayor arrest a policeman? Is he that angry with the police? In the first place, the mayor’s beef is with the CCPO and not the CIDG. The guy had just come from duty and was on his way home),” he said.
Osmeña had gone to the CCPO after four persons, including two youth council officials, were arrested for allegedly buying votes in Barangay Cogon Central Ramos last Saturday night, May 11. (See separate story on Page 4.)
The mayor was accompanied by two lawyers, but CCPO personnel only allowed the lawyers to enter the camp.
On his Facebook page, Osmeña admitted that he stopped Gelogo because he noticed the latter was wearing slippers and his s motorcycle had no side mirror.
He said he demanded to see the vehicle’s official receipt and certificate of registration, but Gelogo told him he left the documents in the CIDG 7 office.
The mayor also asked for the police officer’s identification card and badge. When Gelogo failed to present both, he returned to the camp.
“I called Citom to have the vehicle duly impounded. Citom tried to give the citation to the police but they closed the gate. Now I am being charged with theft and ‘carnapping’,” he said.
Osmeña said that under the law, the mayor is given police authority and police supervision and control.
The big question is, he said, how could a rookie cop afford a P150,000 watch? (From PAC of Superbalita Cebu / KAL)