Cops to sue ex-policewoman

CEBU, Philippines - The policemen, whose names were allegedly used by a former policewoman who has been charged for malversation of public funds, have consolidated their affidavits for the filing of a criminal case against her.

Operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-7 arrested former SPO1 Phoebe Roa through a warrant of arrest last Sunday afternoon inside her rented house in an interior portion of Gonzales Compound in Gorordo Avenue, this city.

Roa’s case stemmed from the cash shortage she allegedly incurred when she was still with the PNP Service Store System at the Police Regional Office-7 Headquarters when she served as the manager.

PRO-7 director Lani-O Nerez told reporters yesterday that right after the PRO-7 learned, in the later part of 2006, of Roa’s alleged misbehavior, the headquarters then required the PNPSSS to stop the charging of deductions from the pay slips of the policemen.

Roa allegedly “managed” to incur a cash shortage amounting to P481,225.39 which she failed to account for. The cash shortage was discovered during an audit of the PNPSSS conducted in 2004.

Nerez said that the arrest of Roa indicates that all is fair in justice, adding that the police authority “really arrests colleagues who violate the law.” — Niña G. Sumacot/MEEV