Cop placed under camp restriction

CEBU, Philippines - The police officer who allegedly made the six minors drink liquor in exchange of P20 last Tuesday afternoon during the 11th birthday of his daughter was already placed under the camp restriction while investigation on the incident is going on.

 Supt. Glenn Mayam, deputy chief officer of Regional Intelligence Unit of the Police Regional Office-7 said that after he learned of the incident, he immediately called PO3 Noel Monares to report to his office even if the latter is still on leave.

 Mayam said Monares, who is on leave starting December 29 until today, will stay in the camp until the investigation is finished.

The police official said Monares denied the allegations, saying the minors were already drinking liquor and he even asked them to stop drinking but they continued until they got drunk.

 Monares also denied the allegations that he made a drinking competition and offered to give P20 to the winners.

Mayam however said he could not yet say who is telling the truth because the investigation is going on. He added that Monares have no bad record and even described the latter as silent type of person.

But in case it is proven that accusations are true, Monares will be facing administrative and criminal case for causing the intoxication and hospitalization of the six minors, two of whom are still in the hospital.

Sr. Insp. Mario Monilar, chief of Guadalupe Police Station, said that after receiving the report from one of the children’s parents, they responded to the area and looked for Monares.

But suspect’s wife, identified as Fiony, said her husband had left on board a taxi cab.

Reports said that during the birthday party of Monares’ daughter, the police officer told all the children who attended the party that he would give each of them P20 if they would drink a glass of gin.

Rico Nogalita, father of two of the victims aged five and seven, told The FREEMAN that the children, including his four sons, lined up and drank a glass. He said some of the kids even drank two glasses of gin.

Nogalita, 34, driver of a Korean family, said he rushed towards home after receiving a text message from his wife about the incident at 5 p.m.

He said they rushed the children to the CCMC on board the car patrol of responding Guadalupe police while some of the victims were carried by a vehicle of the Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation.

Nogalita said that they have talked with the other parents of the victims to file a case against Monares.

He disclosed that since the incident, Monares did not talk to them and offer to shoulder the expenses. But he disclosed that some of the children, including his five-year-old son, were not given the amount that Monares promised. The policeman only allegedly told the kids that he ran out of coins. — Gabriel C. Bonjoc/WAB  (THE FREEMAN)