A SPECIAL Weapons and Tactics (Swat) operative of Talisay City Police Station is in hot water after he allegedly mauled a 33-year-old junkyard employee and pointed a gun at him after the latter hit his motorcycle last Monday morning.
Complainant Crisologo Magdalones, who was driving his motorcycle on his way to work, said PO1 Carl Sebial was in his uniform and allegedly drunk.
“Gition-tionan ko. Pwerti nakong hadloka (He aimed a gun at me. I was so scared),” said Magdalones, a resident of Sudlon 1, Cebu City.
Talisay City Police said it will investigate the matter.
Supt. Germano Mallari, Talisay City Police chief, told reporters yesterday that they received orders from the Police Regional Office 7 to conduct an investigation on PO1 Carl Sebial, who was accused of slapping Magdalones in Barangay Lagtang, Talisay City last Monday.
Since he is subjected to an investigation, Sebial will be relieved from his duties at the Talisay City Swat team and will be reassigned at the city police station for the meantime, Mallari said.
Mallari also urged Magdalones to prepare his evidence, including his medical certificate, in preparation for the investigation.
Mallari said he had never thought Sebial would be involved in an incident especially that he is known as a “hard worker” in their police station.
Sebial allegedly punched Magdalones in the body and slapped him in the face. He also kicked the complainant’s motorcycle and slammed it against the ground.
Sebial denied the allegations before Supt. Germano Mallari, the Talisay City police chief.
Relieve
Senior Supt. Rey Lyndon Lawas, deputy regional director for operations, directed Mallari to relieve Sebial while the cop is being investigated. The Swat operative’s service firearm was also taken from him.
“Tabangan nato ang polis nga madisiplina ang uban (Let us help the police to discipline other officers),” Lawas told Magdalones.
Before the incident happened at 10 a.m., Magdalones was driving his motorcycle toward his workplace in Talisay City.
He was behind Sebial, who was also driving a motorcycle.
Magdalones said Sebial suddenly stopped.
The complainant held on to the handbrakes and tried to evade, but he still sideswiped the exhaust pipe of Sebial’s motorcycle.
The impact did not bring major damage to the police officer’s vehicle, but the latter was fumed.
“Nahadlok tawon ko nga mobuto ang iyang armas nga gition nako, dili man intawon ko daotang tawo, kung ningboto pa to naa pa intawon koy duha ka anak (I’m not a bad person. What if the gun fired? I still have two kids),” said Magdalones.
Sebial, for his part, denied he was drunk and aimed his gun at Magdalones.
He said he was thrown off when Magdalones hit his motorcycle.
“Pulos man mi sayop ato. Kusog kaayo ang iyang dagan. Nya nakalitan pod ko, mao tong ako siyang nakasuk-an. Pero mangayo lang kog pasaylo niya, willing ko nga mangayog pasaylo,” Sebial told Sun.Star Superbalita.