PRO 7 conducts own probe for 4 Borbon cops sued by NBI for ‘killing’ amok

THE Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO 7) will conduct its own administrative investigation against four policemen in Borbon town who were sued by the National Bureau of Investigation in Central Visyas (NBI 7) in connection with the killing of a man who ran amok during their response to an alarm in February 2022.

According to Police Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare, the spokesperson of Police Regional Office (PRO 7) Chief Brigadier General Anthony Aberin, the purpose of the admin investigation is to give the four policemen a chance to answer the accusation against them.

If found guilty, the PRO 7 will determine what punishment will be imposed on them, such as suspension from work or dismissal from service.

PRO 7 is also ready to give the documents to the Ombudsman Visayas to help in its investigation and give justice to both sides.

The criminal case has been filed with the Ombudsman Visayas, but it will undergo a preliminary inquiry and be brought before a judge if it is determined that the charge is justified.

For the time being, PRO 7 Brigadier General Anthony Aberin ordered the relief of Police Staff Sergeant Aaron Salogaol, Police Staff Sergeant Reffe Tejares, Patrolman Gypsy Miro and Patrolman Jade Potane while the investigation is ongoing.

But Pelare, who is also a lawyer, explained that if the investigation finds that what the four policemen did was legitimate and followed the police operational procedure, the PRO 7 is ready to defend them in the case they are facing.

“Well, of course at all cause we will stand with our men, kung walay nakita nga violation sa policy, but as of now we have ordered for the immediate relief of these personnel involved not because we believed that they are at fault but we want to have an investigation which is transparent unya dili sila maka influence sa investigation, after the investigation kung tan-aw nga mas maayo nga ibalik sila sa unit then we will do that,” Pelare said.

Pelare clarified that all police personnel have a procedure to follow when responding to an alarm.

Police officers will use force if necessary to save their own lives or the lives of others because they have the legal authority to do so, according to Pelare.

The police official cited an incident in Cebu City where two policemen were killed when they responded to an armed person alarm. (AYB, TPT)