Dad wants explanation from 23 cops he caught sleeping

City Councilor Augustus "Jun" Pe Jr. is demanding an explanation from 23 city policemen he caught sleeping inside their stations early Monday morning.

Acting on complaints that a number of city policemen on the graveyard nightshift dose off and the phone is left ringing, Pe went to 8 out of the 11 police precincts in the city between 1 a.m. to 3 a.m. last Monday.

Pe said he had already sent a written letter to acting City Police chief Melvin Gayotin yesterday morning, easking for an explanation and expecting it within 48 hours.

Whether sanctions shall be imposed on the erring policemen, or if their respective station commanders shall be included in the disciplinary actions, depend on their explanation and on the recommendation of Gayotin, Pe said.

Sanctions may include suspension of their P1,000 monthly allowance from City Hall or their transfer outside Cebu City.

Caught sleeping were SPO1 Neron Taneo, SPO1 Adolfo Morales, SPO1 Leo Hortilano, PO3 Erwin Ferrer, PO3 Arnel Vender, and PO1 Julius Busico, all of Station 1 (Parian); SPO3 Marciano Sobiono, SPO1 Benito Ngujo, SPO1 Francisco Balanag, PO3 Inocencio Lumayag Sr. and PO2 Edgar Baton, all of Station 3 (Waterfront); SPO4 Combis, SPO2 Dandan, SPO3 Supatan and SPO4 Tanjay, all of Station 4 (Mabolo PS); SPO4 Socrates Medillo, SPO2 Eugenio Teves, all of Station 5 (Carbon).

For Station 6 (San Nicolas), caught dozing off was Insp. Ismael Velasco; SPO4 Eulalio del Socorro and SPO2 Sanrico Jolejole for Station 7 (Pardo); SPO4 Joseph Ylanan, SPO4 Joselito Palang for Station 10 (Punta Princesa); and SPO2 Rolando Manalili for Station 11 (Mambaling).

Pe, however, was not able to conduct the same inspection for stations 2 (Fuente), 8 (Talamban) and 9 (Guadalupe), saying he was already sleepy.

An interview with the desk officers of the nine police precincts yesterday afternoon revealed that most of those caught sleeping were desk officers, shift officers and heads of the miscellaneous team. For one, Pardo police chief, Sen. Insp. Alexis Relado, said del Socorro is the station's night shift desk officer.

"Mabait naman yan, eh. Di lang nya naiwasang nakapikit. Pero wala akong problema sa kanya dahil masipag sya'ng magtrabaho," Relado said in defense of del Socorro.

He said Jolejole was not on duty last Sunday night. He just extended his stay in the police station because he needed to work on the computer to update records in preparation of the annual general inspection to be conducted by top officials from Camp Crame in Manila.

Relado said Jolejole was not working overtime either and that he just chose to stay late and complete his job because he could not do it during daytime considering that other staff members also use the only computer in the office. - Cristina C. Birondo