THE policeman whose identification card was found inside the sling bag of a drug suspect came out in the open yesterday to give his side on the controversy.
SPO2 Ricardo Albotra, who is now assigned at the Mandaue City Police Office, admitted he owned the card but said it had not been with him since 2004.
The card is not his Philippine National Police (PNP)-issued identification card, but the one issued by the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) where he was assigned in 2004.
He said he left the card at his previous office at the CCPO.
Albotra said he was baffled why the card ended up in the bag of drug suspect Jay Camotes.
Camotes, an alleged big-time drug pusher in Carcar City, was arrested by operatives of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) theft and robbery section last week, by virtue of a warrant of arrest for resistance and disobedience to a person in authority.
During the arrest, more than six grams of shabu and a pistol were allegedly confiscated from Camotes’s bag. Also in the bag was Albotra’s card.
Albotra said he is willing to face the investigation to clear his name.
The CCPO, on the other hand, has wound up the investigation against Albotra.
CCPO Director Patrocinio Comendador Jr. said the investigation report is now being reviewed before it will be submitted to the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7.
Comendador said the result of the investigation would only be disclosed after it is forwarded to the regional office.
The PRO 7 has administrative jurisdiction over Albotra, as the latter is no longer with the city police force, Comendador said. (JTG with reports from DRT of Sun.Star Superbalita)