Cop dismissed for sexual abuse

CEBU, Philippines - Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez has affirmed the dismissal of a policeman assigned at the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) for touching the private parts of a 15-year-old girl in Alcantara town five years ago.

Gutierrez approved the recommendation of the anti-graft investigators to dismiss PO1 Wilfredo Ando from the service after he was found guilty of the offense.

Ando, who used to be assigned with the Alcantara Police Station, was administratively charged for Conduct Unbecoming of a Police Officer after he sexually abused a high-school female student.

The complainant said that at around 7:20 p.m. of June 9, 2006, Ando approached her and asked for the location of the house of a certain Cabing.

After giving him the direction, the complainant said the police officer asked her to accompany him to the said house.

But while they were walking on the way to Cabing’s house, Ando suddenly held her hand, then pressed her left shoulder tightly that she felt pain. She added that the policeman then touched her breasts and her sex organ.

Ando denied the allegations.

In his counter-affidavit, he said the story against him was fabricated and intended to harass him and besmirch his reputation.

But the Ombudsman ruled that the complainant was able to present substantial evidence such as a medical certificate to prove the injuries she sustained while trying to escape from him and a witness who saw him touch the breasts of the complainant.

“The act of the respondent in touching the breasts and private organ of a 15-year-old girl constitutes a conduct unbecoming of a police officer, which makes him morally unworthy to remain in the service a day longer,” the anti-graft office stated in its ruling.

Gutierrez said that aside from the administrative sanction, the Ombudsman will also file criminal case of sexual abuse under Sec. 5(b) of RA 7610 or the Childs Abuse and Protection Act.

It was reported that the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) had dismissed around 175 policemen involved in various crimes since July 2010. More than half of the number are cops involved in drug-related cases. — (FREEMAN)