CCPO to hold a seminar on crime scene handling

The Cebu City Police Office acting director will conduct a seminar on how to handle a crime scene, this after complaints that policemen contaminated the scene where PO1 Karesh Valenzuela allegedly shot herself last Saturday.

"If ever there were lapses that occurred in the crime scene I would like to correct it so that it will not happen again," city police chief Patrociño Comendador said.

Valenzuela allegedly shot herself inside the comfort room of a bakery inside the Basilica del Sto. Niño compound near the area she was detailed to guard.

After she was taken to the hospital by her fellow policemen her cellphone was found missing.

Her father Remenio Valenzuela, a former police investigator himself before becoming a lawyer, told reporters her cellphone could have provided clues to what happened. He does not believe she committed suicide as she did not tell him or her fellow policemen about any particular problem she was having.

Comendador said the policemen who arrive first in any crime scene -referred to as first responders- must protect the crime scene prior to the arrival of the special investigating units such as the Homicide Section or the Scene of the Crime Operations.

"He must protect the crime scene until nga moabot ang SOCO or ang Homicide Section...atong i-instill ang crime preservation for the investigators," Comendador said.

Comendador said he will also be requiring each patrol cars of the Mobile Patrol Group and the police stations to bring police tape because this units are the usual first responders.

But Comendador said the crime scene becomes secondary when it comes to saving lives.

"Natural nga maguba ang crime scene kay ang primary objective na nato ang kinabuhi sa biktima, secondary na ang crime scene ug ang pieces of evidence," Comendador explained.

Comendador warned that he will not hesitate to file administrative charges against those policemen who be found committing lapses in the crime investigation procedure.

Valenzuela's body was shipped back to her hometown in Domaraw, Aklan, accompanied by 50 of her classmates yesterday. - Edwin Ian Melecio/BRP