Probe for cops who let theft suspect escape

The new chief of the Theft and Robbery Section, Sr. Inspector Alexis Relado will recommend for an investigation to be conducted against his men who reportedly lost a theft suspect inside the Palace of Justice last Monday.

The suspect, Teodoro Paray, was arrested by the group of SPO4 Alejandro Lopez last November 2 after he and his live-in partner Marycris Buenavista were suspected behind the theft of a cellular phone accessories store in Sanciangko Street owned by Sozimo Malata of Batangas City.

Buenavista is reportedly an employee of the SQM Marketing owned by Malata, located at the third floor of Dream Field Building in the said street.

Paray escaped while the police were waiting for the fiscal clerk to attend to the case they are filing against him.

But it was revealed that the suspect has just been released by the Prosecutor's Office after the complainant and one of the suspect's relatives had settled the case outside the court.

In spite of this, Relado said he still wants to recommend to Cebu City Police Office acting director Melvin Gayotin to have an investigation be conducted by the Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Branch to avoid a whitewash.

"Kung totoo man yung lumabas sa report, I will recommend na ang CIIB na ang mag-investigate, kasi ang mga na-involve ay taga-TRS tapos kung TRS din ang mag-iimbestiga baka mabahiran ng malisya," Relado said

Relado added that he believes that Paray decided to escape as he was afraid being sent to a drug rehabilitation center because his relatives wanted him to be rehabilitated.

Paray managed to escape by going up to the second floor of the palace of justice when his arresting officers were busy preparing his documents.

Paray easily escaped unnoticed from the security guards of the building because he was not handcuffed.

The chief security of the palace of justice, Romeo Jamaybay, said that they immediately closed the doors of the building upon learning of the escape, but this was only after they were told of the escape a few minutes later.

"Wala mi kabantay kay wa may posas unya wa say uniporme," Jumaybay said.

Jumaybay said Paray was just talking with his live-in partner Buenavista near the stairs leading to the left wing of the palace of justice when the policemen temporarily lost sight of him.

Upon seeing that the policemen were not watching him, Paray immediately went up to the second floor and disappeared.

The members of the TRS immediately pursued the escapee but failed to locate him. Jumaybay said they searched all the possible areas of the building where Paray could be hiding but he was nowhere to be found.

Relado, who was previously assigned in Service Security Group, was relieved from that post and transferred as the new chief of the TRS while Chief Inspector Ambrosio Ibones was transferred to SSG because he is about in preparation for his retirement.

The effectivity of the relief started last November 6 but Relado claimed he received the marching order only in the evening. - Edwin Ian Melecio