Officer admonished over delayed reports

Acting city police director Melvin Gayotin yesterday reprimanded an administrative officer for failing to update him on the status of the investigation of six policemen caught sleeping on duty.

Gayotin said he reprimanded SPO4 Tito Bernante yesterday morning after he found out from him that the policemen who are subject to an administrative investigation have not submitted their explanations yet.

Last week, at least four policemen were caught sleeping while on duty while two others were found to be absent when Cebu City councilor Augustus "Jun" Pe, a member of the council committee on police, fire and penology, random inspected city police stations.

Among those ordered investigated are SPO2 Narciso Abapo, SPO2 Jaime Toring, SPO1 Neron Salinguha and PO1 Leonard Dinsay who were caught sleeping on the job while PO2 Rodrigo Castro and PO1 Manfred Maarat were reportedly absent.

The incident was caught on camera by an ABS-CBN news team that tailed Pe during the inspection.

But Gayotin just found out yesterday that the investigation has not started yet because the officers concerned have not even submitted their explanation as to why they should not be sanctioned.

Bernante admitted to Gayotin that he had not sent the order to the respective policemen for them to explain because he lost the memorandum that covered Gayotin's order.

He also reportedly admitted to Gayotin that he forgot all about the memo after it was lost, a reason that reportedly sent Gayotin flaring up, admonishing Bernante and telling him he should have just told him about the loss right away. - Ryan P. Borinaga