Graft charges against female cop dropped

A policewoman earlier charged with graft and corruption by her superior officer whom she has indicted for sexually harassing two female inmates was exonerated by the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.

Provincial prosecutor Pepita Jane Petralba dismissed the case for violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act against PO1 Virgilia Albarracin for lack of evidence.

The case stemmed from a complaint filed by former Argao Police Station chief Crisanto Duque where Albarracin is assigned in the women and children’s desk.

 Duque alleged that upon the retirement of the officer in-charge of the processing of documents as well as handling of the payments for the applicants and participants of seminars on the Barangay Intelligence Network, he designated Albarracin to take over.

Duque said that Albarracin collected all the payments of the participants in the seminars held last July 7 and 25, this year, and August 17, September 9 and October 5, last year, but allegedly failed to remit the proceeds in the amount of P13,400.

Albarracin denied the allegations, saying that the case was recycled from the original complaint for dishonesty that Duque has filed before the Provincial Internal Affairs Service.

According to Albarracin, the case was dismissed because Duque himself admitted that it was just a simple misunderstanding between the two of them. Albarracin said that the money has long been remitted to the provincial headquarters.

Albarracin alleged that Duque recycled the case against her because the latter got irked when she helped out in the filing of a complaint for sexual harassment against him by two female detainees of the Argao Police Station.

She said that two of their female detainees accused Duque of sexual harassment when he ordered the inmates to massage his sexual organ.

Investigating prosecutor Arnulfo Amodia who recommended for the dismissal of the case said that there was no sufficient evidence to prove that Albarracin committed the act of corruption.

Amodia’s recommendation which was approved by Petralba states that if Albarracin committed any offense for not turning over the money immediately as ordered by her superior officer, the act constitutes insubordination which is administrative in nature.

“Certainly, the liability of the respondent if ever she is liable, is not criminal but administrative in character,” the prosecutor ruled. — Fred P. Languido/MEEV