CEBU – For lapses in handling the case involving a retired police official, a traffic investigator has been relieved from his post and sent to the Province of Siquijor.
PO3 Anthony Deligero of the Cebu City Traffic Section was relieved from his post by Chief Supt. Ronald Roderos, director of the Police Regional Office (PRO)-7.
This came after Roderos noted the failure of Deligero to subject retired police Colonel Benjamin Miaga to a liquor test after the incident last Sunday night that resulted to the death of one police retiree and injury of six others.
Miaga backed into a group of fellow police retirees as he was about to leave their party held inside Camp Sergio Osmeña.
Roderos said that he is not satisfied with the explanation of Deligero that he did not take Miaga to the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) to undergo a liquor test after the accident that killed retired Inspector Florefino Lapinid.
Deligero explained that he did not take Miaga to the CCMC for the test as the latter was busy attending to the victims, who were rushed to the Chong Hua Hospital and the Cebu Doctors’ Hospital.
Lapinid expired a few hours after the accident at Chong Hua Hospital.
Roderos said that while he admires Deligero for being a good investigator, the policeman lost his focus when he handled the case of Miaga, who incidentally heads the association of police retirees.
The superiors of Deligero in the Traffic Division including their chief on-leave Supt. Mariano Batiancila will not be spared from the investigation.
Also to be investigated will be deputy chief Sr. Insp. Marcial Carandayao, day shift supervisor Sr. Insp. Michael Beltran, and night shift supervisor Insp. Ranolfo Espina.
Roderos also said that even if the family of the fatality and the other victims would not file charges, the PNP can be the nominal complainant in the case. He said that it will be up to the court to decide on this case against Miaga.
Meanwhile, Sr. Supt. Patrocinio Comendador Jr., Cebu City Police Office director, said that Deligero was just doing a routine job.
Comendador said that he called Deligero last Monday to confirm the controversy of not submitting Miaga to a liquor test.
Deligero explained his side to the CCPO chief, who said he understood the circumstances.
Comendador said that liquor test is only discretionary, not mandatory. He explained that conducting a liquor test will only aggravate the offense of the accused, but Miaga admitted all the facts of the incident including his fault.
Other police retirees who were injured in Sunday’s incident were identified as SPO4 Ernesto Pacaña, SPO4 Aristo de Gracia, Col. Edmund Binondo, Patrolman Concordio Castañares, and SPO4 Rodolfo Beduya. — Niña Chrismae G. Sumacot/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)