PDEA agent: No mauling, student just after revenge

CEBU, Philippines – An agent of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-7 accused of mauling a second year Criminology student denied the accusations hurled against him and has vowed to have the student expelled from the school.

David Mark Maramba, Intelligence Officer 3 of the PDEA-7, and also a commandant of the school called for a press conference yesterday to answer the accusations of Edgardo Martinez, 20, of the University of Cebu-Main Campus.

In a report filed with the Investigation and Detective Management Branch of the Cebu City Police Office, Martinez said he was on his way to the comfort room last Aug. 4 when an intern demanded he take off his earring.

He took off the earring but was dragged to the intern office when he refused to hand over his ID. There the intern and Dennis Chiong, son of Crusade Against Violence chairman Thelma Chiong and an instructor at the school, also allegedly took turns in punching him before Maramba joined them.

Maramba said he did not maul Martinez, but only restrained him with the help of Chiong and other interns when he went wild. They believe Martinez was then under the influence of illegal drugs.

Chiong, an administration clerk of the National Bureau of Investigation-7 and an instructor of the school, has also denied the accusation.

Maramba said an intern came to ask him for help and he arrived at the office and held Martinez by his shoulder when the student suddenly punched him in his chest continuously. This prompted him to hug the student to restrain him more.

He said he was assisted eight to 10 interns, including Chiong, because Martinez was allegedly so strong.

Maramba said Martinez just wants retaliation after he charged the latter for direct assault, eventually placing the student under detention.

Maramba said after assuming as commandant of the Criminology Department last year he received reports that there are a number of toughies among Criminology stu-dents that the Civil Security Unit of the school can no longer deal with.

The PDEA-7 agent said some CSU officers who confront students for school violations, have complained as some students of the said department have allegedly threatened them outside the school as they claim to be members of gangs or fraternities.

PDEA-7 Regional Director Adrian Alvarino said they will conduct an investigation on Maramba and apply sanctions if he is proven guilty of the said maltreatment.

After Maramba said he wants Martinez expelled, Martinez also said he wants Maramba to be terminated from the school and from the PDEA. He is planning to file a case against Maramba before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas. (FREEMAN)