Two policemen suspended for misconduct

CEBU, Philippines – The former police chief of Carcar and one of his personnel will be suspended for two months effective today after both of them were found liable for not filing appropriate charges against two alleged drug pushers they arrested four years ago.

The two were also accused of submitting only one pack of shabu from among the evidence recovered during the arrest to the Crime Laboratory for examination.

Senior Insp. Jason Mangaron and SPO2 Nelson Ducay were found liable for misconduct and dishonesty as initiated by the Office of the Investigation and Intelligence Division, Regional Internal Affairs Services-7.

On February 3, 2006 suspected pushers Clifford Sabayton and Junrel Sabayton were arrested during a buy-bust operation by Mangaron together with Ducay and some members of the Cebu Provincial Police Office Special Reaction Unit in Sitio Lacaron, Barangay Pitalo, San Fernando town.

The police team recovered the buy-bust money, a small pack with suspected shabu, several small packs with suspected shabu residue and drug paraphernalia.

Mangaron alleged that he left Ducay to the task of submitting the recovered plastic packs for laboratory examination and the filing of corresponding criminal complaint with the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor.

He said that later it was Ducay who withdrew the criminal complaint against the suspects because the examination on the specimens submitted before the Regional Crime Laboratory 7 yielded negative results.

Both suspects were eventually released from police custody.

But Ducay defended himself saying that it was only after he inquired about the evidence confiscated for the preparation of the formal complaint that Mangaron handed him the lone pack of shabu.

"Both well founded on their deliberate acts of submitting only one small heated sachet containing white crystalline substances for laboratory examination instead of all the specimens seized during the operation and by filing only a case of possession of dangerous drugs under Section 11 of RA 9165 instead of violation of Sections 5, 11 and 12," part of the decision read.

Personnel Section Law and Order head SPO4 Merbert Patanao said both policemen were supposedly suspended last May but the two officials submitted a motion for reconsideration.

After their motion was denied Police Regional Office-7 director Ager Ontog ordered to immediately impose the suspension.

Patanao said that once the suspension is imposed bonuses and the replacement clothing allowance are forfeited. (FREEMAN)