Alleged infidel Borbon cop indicted

The Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office has indicted a police officer of a criminal complaint for infidelity in the custody of prisoner over the escape of a drug suspect in Borbon Police Station three months ago.

Provincial Prosecutor Pepita Jane Petralba approved the filing of the criminal case in court against Police Officer 1 Bonifacio Gabod after finding probable cause that the latter is probably guilty of the complaint.

The case stemmed from the complaint filed by Borbon Police chief Camilo Gonzaga because of Gabod’s alleged negligence that resulted to the escape of drug suspect Edison Cabahug last May 12 in the morning.

Gonzaga said that Gabod was the designated jailer of the police station but the latter allegedly abandoned his post. Gabod also did not turn over his obligation to his reliever, PO3 Jose Cejano, who was also late when Cabahug bolted out of jail.

Gabod denied committing the crime claiming that he was instructed by his team leader SPO2 Eugene Allego to go to the nearest police station to secure a copy of a radio message coming from the provincial headquarters because their two-way radio was not functional.

Gabod said when he returned at the police station, he already saw the next team who would assume their post. According to Gabod, he was presuming that his reliever was also around prompting him to proceed to Cebu City.

However, the prosecutor’s office ruled that his admission that he did not have the formal turnover of his duty to his reliever is supportive of probable cause of the crime against him. — Fred P. Languido/MEEV   (THE FREEMAN)