Valmoria relieves Argao police chief

Senior Inspector Crisanto Duque, the chief of Argao Police Station, has been relieved from his post after Cebu Provincial Police Office director Carmelo Valmoria signed the special order last Tuesday afternoon.

Duque, who replaced by his deputy, SPO4 Wilfredo Tauto-an, is now assigned to the Provincial Security Service Group at the provincial headquarters of the CPPO in Sudlon, barangay Lahug.

Lawyer Edwin Cadungog, Commission on Elections provincial director, also signed the order for Duque's relief.

Two women detainees of the Argao Police Station accused Duque of harassment for allegedly forcing them to massage him, including his genitals.

The two claimed the incident happened last month but they only revealed the incident recently for fear of being remanded to the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center.

The women, who are both married, are being detained for theft cases. One of them is 54 years old, while the other is 25 and is eight-months pregnant.

In their affidavit, the two claimed that on February 12 at about 10 p.m., Duque told them to come upstairs to his office to massage him. When they went upstairs they saw Duque lying on his bed wearing only his underwear.

They said they followed his orders for fear of being sent to the CPDRC. After the massage, Duque allegedly gave them P100.

On February 14 at about 1:00 a.m., the two said they were again awakened by Duque who wanted another massage. Only this time the police chief, who was allegedly drunk, exposed himself and ordered them to massage his genitals.

PO1 Virgilia Albaracin, of the Women and Children Protection Desk of the town police station, told reporters yesterday that the women disclosed the incident to her the following day.

When Albaracin tried to confirm the incident with Duque, the police chief allegedly accused her of getting back at him for filing work-related charges against her.

Duque, who is set to retire in 2010 after 34 years of police service, denied all the allegations but said he expected to be relieved after the media got wind of the accusations.

He claimed he cannot do what he allegedly did because he is set to retire and said that during the times the alleged incidents took place, he was in Cebu City conducting an operation against two men who stole fighting cocks in the town.

He added that Albaracin wants to sue him since he filed a case against her for dishonesty. - Norvie S. Misa