A POLICE officer assigned in Tabogon town, northern Cebu is set to face numerous criminal charges after he was accused of mauling and threatening a delivery driver and two of his assistants, both of whom are minors.
Patrolman Viance Lord Rosello, 32, is currently detained at the Medellin Police Station after a complaint was filed against him by Carlito Algadepe, 31, a delivery van driver from Barangay Calape, Daanbantayan.
Rosello is assigned at the Tabogon Police Station’s Police Community Relations (PCR) office.
Algadepe claimed that on Tuesday afternoon, November 23, 2021, he and his two assistants were driving in sitio Lahug, Barangay Antipolo in Medellin when they were reportedly threatened and mauled by Rosello.
A certain Alexander Velez, a resident in the area, called up the police to report the matter.
Major Welther Grapa, chief of the Medellin Police Station, said his personnel went to the area to verify the matter.
When they got there, Medellin police were surprised to find that police officers from Daanbantayan were also there investigating.
During their joint investigation, they found out from the victims that it was Rosello who mauled and threatened them.
Rosello was reportedly drunk at the time.
They eventually arrested Rosello after a hot pursuit operation on the same day.
Rosello was brought to a nearby public hospital to undergo a liquor test as he was still drunk at that time.
Grapa said based on interrogation conducted by one of his investigators, Rosello defended himself by saying that he was conducting an anti-drug operation against the victims at the time.
But Grapa became suspicious when Rosello didn’t even coordinate with his colleagues if he was to conduct an operation by himself.
When he personally talked to Rosello, the embattled police officer told him that he was actually on his way to buy fish for his nephew’s birthday feast when his motorcycle was sideswiped by Algadepe’s vehicle.
The accident reportedly resulted in an argument between Rosello and Algadepe.
Grapa said they plan to file charges of grave threats and child abuse against Rosello.
He added that administrative charges are also being prepared against the detained cop. (GPL / JKV)