CEBU, Philippines - The Kabataan Partylist yesterday filed a complaint before the Commission on Elections for violation of the Omnibus Election Code against a police official whom they accused of mauling its fourth nominee and a volunteer.
The partylist group filed the complaint against Superintendent Ariel Palcuto at the Comelec office in Cebu City. Reniel Oliva, 4th nominee of the Kabataan Partylist, and one of the victims of an alleged mauling incident, said a “high level” of investigation should be done.
“Ang kapolisan walay aksiyon, we demand high level investigation, since Palcuto is an active member of PNP,” he said.
Oliva, in his affidavit, stated that on April 10, 2010, at about 11:30pm, he and other volunteers of their group disembarked from a public utility jeepney near Tinder Box along Archbishop Reyes Avenue, a Honda CRV with plate number KDR-220 suddenly pulled a stop beside them.
An armed man in civilian clothing got out of the vehicle bragging that he is a police officer and demanding that they get inside his vehicle.
“When we refused, the man, whom I identified as Supt. Ariel Palcuto, grabbed my companion Brayan Laguna by the collar and accused us of tearing down the election posters of his father Rico Palcuto, for whom he is openly campaigning,” Oliva said in his affidavit.
Ariel Palcuto’s father is running as an independent candidate for vice mayor in Cebu City.
He said that Ariel did not let go of Laguna’s collar and shoulder as he pulled him towards the waiting vehicle
“I protested the assault on our civil rights, and demanded that Supt. Palcuto stop violating our country’s criminal and election laws, “reads the affidavit.
Supt. Palcuto and five other men allegedly took turn in beating them up.
The group earlier filed a separate complaint before the Commission on Human Rights and Regional Internal Affairs Service.
“We will still see if we’ll file the same case to the Ombudsman. Filing the same case might be construed to forum shopping, “Oliva said in Cebuano. —THE FREEMAN