Policeman charged for falsifying documents

CEBU, Philippines - A police officer is facing a criminal case after he allegedly facilitated the release of impounded public utility jeepneys by forging the signatures of the Cebu City Traffic Operations and Management (Citom) personnel.

Arnel C. Tancinco, executive officer of Citom, accused Police Officer II Leoncio P. Canoy of the Mandaue City Police Office of facilitating the release of impounded vehicles through the use of forged release papers.

Tancinco alleged that in the early part of February 2007, he received information that some of the motor vehicles deposited at the Cebu City impounding area were released through fraudulent documents, which included an official receipt of the Cebu City Government.

Tancinco then requested the Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Bureau (CIIB) of the Cebu City Police Office to act on the information.

During the investigation, jeepney owner and driver Dennis T. Tapelot, whose vehicle was impounded for violations of a City ordinance, attested that on January 26, 2007, through a referral from his friend, he met Canoy and asked for his help for the immediate release of his PUJ.

Canoy allegedly asked him P29,000 for the processing. He gave P5,000 as down payment and gave the P24,000 the following day.

Leopoldo M. Jimenez, who heads the Citom impounding area, executed an affidavit saying that Canoy used to hand over to him release orders from Citom, prompting him to release vehicles.

Senior Police Officer III Julio Requina, Police Inspector Michaelangelo S. Beltran, and Agnes L. Labandero, all authorized signatories, disowned in their respective affidavits the signatures appearing in the questioned release orders.

They claimed that their signatures were forged by Canoy.

But Canoy denied he forged signatures or facilitated the release of vehicles through fraudulent documents. He said he only accompanied Tapelot to the impounding area to get the jeepney.

He did not ask for money and he has not received any amount for the transaction, he stressed.

 Canoy was charged with estafa through falsification of official document. -  THE FREEMAN