Talisay chief included CPPO to conduct own probe into minor's alleged mauling

CEBU, Philippines – The Cebu Provincial Police Office will be conducting their own investigation into the alleged mauling of a minor suspected of stealing the cellular phone of a trisikad driver.

This as another person came forward to accuse the minor also of robbery.

Acting CPPO director Supt. Erson Digal already ordered Insp. Ruben Cuizon of the Provincial Investigation Detective and Management Branch to make their own investigation even if Talisay City police chief Supt. Henry Biñas already conducted his own investigation.

“Amo sad gyud apilon si Biñas para gyud mawala ang doubt sa tanan nga biased ang ilang investigation. Ganiha gipaadto na nako si Insp. Cuizon and within this week mahuman nato,” Digal said.

Earlier, Hermogina Rabaya accused PO2 Roelito Tano and PO1 Jundave David of the Talisay City police of mauling her 16-year-old son and detaining him with adult prisoners after the boy was arrested for reportedly stealing the cellular phone of a trisikad driver.

Rabaya, claimed that police arrested her son last Friday night after the triskad driver, who is also a minor, complained that his cellular phone had been stolen.

While the mother did not deny that her son committed the crime she said she pleaded with the police to put the boy in another cell.

She also alleged that the police beat up her son, who the authorities insist is already 18 years old.

After that, the mother sought the help of barangay officials and the Department of Social Welfare and Development to help prove that her son is still a minor.

She, however, was reportedly denied access to the blotter when she went to the Talisay City Police Station along with San Isidro barangay councilwoman Lucia Alcover, Fe Bacaltos of DSWD and tanod Fransico Deiparine to check on the entry about the arrest of her son.

Rabaya also claimed that she was told to leave the detention center when she went there to ask that her son be put in a cell separate from detained adults.

She alleged that the policemen told her that they were still waiting for orders from Biñas.

The mother went back to the police station yesterday accompanied by a radio reporter and barangay councilman Mario Zafra of San Isidro.  This time, she had a copy of her son’s baptismal certificate to prove his age and also had the chance to talk to Biñas.

Biñas said that the said minor was already in the custody of DSWD and will undergo a medical check-up to determine if the minor had been mauled and tortured.

Biñas added that the complainant trisikad driver already executed an affidavit to file a case of robbery against the suspect.

But aside from that another person has came forward to accuse the suspect of robbery.

“Naa sa’y ni-ari sa station, a certain Abellana nga usa ka call center agent, nga ni-positively identify sa minor nga maoy nitulis niya,” Biñas said. — Christopher Gabriel C. Bonjoc/BRP (THE FREEMAN)