For tagging him as suspect Mayor Ramirez hits CPPO chief

CEBU, Philippines - Embattled Medellin town Mayor Ricardo Ramirez has broken his silence regarding the death of a municipal employee and lambasted the provincial police chief.

Ramirez is demanding a public apology from Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) Director Erson Digal for tagging him as a suspect in the death of Edelberto ‘Delbi’ Abao.

The mayor said that if Digal would not apologize, he would withdraw his town’s logistical support to the police.

Abao was head of the security group at the mayor’s office.

Digal said that he had basis for his statements tagging the mayor in Abao’s death as such information came out during the course of the investigation.

There are also affidavits sworn by the witnesses.

Digal will not, however, have a hand in the filing of the charges as the Criminal Investigation and Detective Group 7 (CIDG) will be handling the case.

“As law enforcers, we do our part to investigate,” Digal said.

ANGRY MAYOR

“They say hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, I say hell hath no fury like a mayor maligned,” said Ramirez.

He said Digal was only showing incompetence after basing his conclusions on unverified statements and text messages.

Ramirez also said he is planning legal action against Digal for not consulting him about the new police chief.

   This after Digal relieved Sr. Inspector Bonifacio Arriesgado, who failed to inform him immediately about the incident.

Since Ramirez learned that Digal also failed to immediately inform Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia about the incident, the mayor asked Digal, “Shouldn’t you also be relieved for committing the same mistake that you used as a reason to yank out my chief of police?”

According to Ramirez, Digal admitted they were relying on an investigator from the CIDG based in Bogo, who had every reason to hate him and bring him down after Digal announced that the Provincial Investigation and Management Division was conducting the investigation.

Although CIDG is a law enforcement unit separate from the CPPO, Ramirez said CIDG investigator Angelito Yaun was doing the legwork for the CPPO.

According to the press statement of Ramirez, Angelito is the brother of Huberto Yaun, a casual employee in Medellin who he terminated for anomalies.

Huberto was assigned at the Land Transportation Office (LTO)-Medellin Office whose head, Frank Nailon, requested for his transfer.

Yaun was investigated by the Medellin Municipal Council after receiving a complaint against his money-making activities at the LTO.

Moreover, Angelito is a relative of the late Antipolo barangay captain Marianito Yaun, whose house was raided last February 2010 by authorities on Ramirez’s initiative.

Marianito, an illegal drug personality was later killed in Talamban, Cebu City after shooting it out with the police.

The “witness” who made an affidavit against Ramirez was Edelito “Bimbim” Abao, Delbi Abao’s son, whose name Ramirez submitted to the province’s illegal drugs watch list.

Bimbim was the henchman of Marianito and was even there when authorities raided Marianito’s house.

Also, Bimbim is now the live-in partner of Marianito’s common-law wife.

“Bimbim was so mad at me and the police, and he even challenged his father to a gun duel,” said Ramirez.

Bimbim’s affidavit contained a supposed dying declaration of his father saying Ramirez shot him.

But Bimbim’s family also issued affidavits contradicting his claim.

The rest of the family also further stated that Bimbim was at the hospital only to get the slug taken from Delbi’s thigh.

Bimbim gave the slug, which the family said did not resemble a bullet as it was more like a small piece of metal, to the CIDG.

Ramirez said that whatever the CIDG has now is no longer credible as there was no proper turnover.

“Digal enjoyed himself so much in the media limelight that he never bothered to stop for a moment and think that he was destroying the reputation that I built through 19 years of public service and hard work. He has forgotten the basic principle of presumption of innocence, the media attention-seeker that he is,” said Ramirez.

“Just because I was grief stricken and secluded myself and begged off for just one day not to answer any calls even from my friends, and I am man enough to say I was crying the whole day, doesn’t give them the reason to judge me right away and brand me and libel me,” he added.

Ramirez also took offense at Digal’s statement that all members of the mayor’s squad were suspects.

“The group was formed because the police could not be relied upon to do their work at patrolling and guarding the public facilities. The police even failed to stop the drag racing being held every Saturday in the town. The group was doing the work that the police failed to do,” Ramirez said.

“Digal was playing the gallery without looking kinsa iyang naligsan. We went out of our way to help the police, and we ended up vilified and pilloried. With the kind of PNP leadership that we have, we are going to the dogs. Maybe its better to kick him out before he goes into another tragedy,” he added.

Ramirez said Digal should have done a more thorough investigation and checked who the witness was.

   “He was looking good, making it appear that the PIMB was doing the work, it turns out ang CIDG di-ay. The province does not need a moron for a police director who’s a disgrace,” he said.

Ramirez also alleged that has been Bimbim sending text messages to his family trying to convince them to issue statements against the mayor as there are “millions” involved.

   The victim’s son allegedly told his family to contact him in an expensive pension house in Bogo should they change their mind. (FREEMAN)