2 policemen in hot water

CEBU, Philippines - A policeman was arrested for allegedly robbing and punching a Japanese national in Barangay Pajo, Lapu-Lapu City last Friday night while another policeman in Sibonga town is now under investigation after several people were hurt in a shootout.

In Lapu-Lapu City, PO2 Bruce Taneo reportedly pointed a gun at Masami Kon, handcuffed him and took his wallet. He later returned the wallet but part of the cash was allegedly missing.

Inspector Stephen Amamag-id, chief of the Basak Police Station of the Mandaue City Police Office, where Taneo is assigned, told The FREEMAN that Taneo was off-duty at the time of the incident.

Kon, 48, was driving a brown Toyota Revo with license plate numbers GPA-759 along Maximo Patalinghug Avenue around 11 p.m. when he sideswiped a certain Maria Elena Pag-usara who was walking along the road with her friend Mary Jane Dungog.

Kon, from Saitama, Japan, temporarily residing in Nivel Hills, Barangay Lahug, Cebu City, was then on his way to the Mactan Export Processing Zone 2 where he worked at the Shim Cebu Metal Plating Corp.

He disembarked from his car to check on Pag-usara when a man on a blue motorcycle, later identified as Taneo, approached them.

Taneo was wearing the upper part of official PNP field uniform, a camouflage tunic with PNP patches.

Amamag-id said, based on the victim’s account, Taneo then pointed a gun at Kon and handcuffed him. Taneo also “forcibly took” his wallet which contained P12,000, his driver’s license, company ID card and other assorted cards.

The policeman also allegedly punched Kon several times and detached the rear plate number of his car before leaving the place.

Kon reported the matter to the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office. The two women, who served as witnesses to the incident, backed up Kon’s statement; Pag-usara had not been injured as a result of the earlier sideswiping incident.

Policemen failed to find Taneo in his house in Barangay Gun-ob, Lapu-Lapu City, but his neighbors said he had been wearing the upper part of his field uniform last they saw him.

Amamag-id said Taneo appeared at the LLCPO around 12:30 a.m. and brought with him the wallet, but it contained only P2,650 cash.

The police arrested and detained him while a charge for robbery is now being filed against him.

Amamag-id said Taneo was apparently drunk when he went to the station.

They are now also conducting their own investigation for the administrative aspect of Taneo’s case.

MCPO director Noel Gillamac, based on information he received from LLCPO director Anthony Obenza, said the suspect was already being monitored because of his alleged illegal drug activities in Lapu-Lapu City.

The suspect said he did not rob the victim, but only confiscated his driver’s license because of the traffic accident.

In the other incident, PO2 Elrey Brady Alegado, of the Regional Public Safety Battalion, is now under investigation after four men were injured during a shootout at a benefit dance in Barangay Candaguit, Sibonga early morning yesterday.

Alegado reportedly shot Felito Campana, 27, of Tungkil, Minglanilla town, when the latter shot at him during a commotion in the barangay at 1:20 am yesterday.

Also injured during the shootout were disco-goers Jefferd Sarda, 25, Ricky Llanos, 37, and a 13-year-old boy.

Based on initial investigation, the suspect and the victims were attending the disco when a fight took place between young men. 

This was the second fight of the night, Alegodo had pacified the first fight and he readily responded.

Alegado said he saw the suspect pull out a gun and shoot at him which prompted him to seek cover and returned fire at the suspect. 

After the shootout the three victims were taken to the Carcar District Hospital. It was not yet certain whether it was Alegado or Campana who had shot at them.

Campana was later traced to a hospital in Cebu City where he was rushed due to a gunshot wound.

Policemen who went to the area recovered 11 9mm cal. shells from the crime scene.

Alegado is currently under camp restriction at the Sibonga Police Station, his firearm was also submitted to a ballistics test.

In yet another incident, a young policeman and his companion died after their motorcycle hit a ten-wheeler truck head-on in Barangay Candoling, Ronda town, yesterday morning.

PO1 Ralph Tabañag, 21, was assigned with the Punta Princesa Police Station of the Cebu City Police Office. He was undergoing Field Training Program. 

His companion, Neil Gerard Toncab, 18, was also killed. Both are residents of Poblacion, Badian town.

According to the investigation, Tabañag, who was off-duty, was driving the motorcycle heading home from Cebu City with Toncab riding pillion past 8 a.m. yesterday when they hit the truck coming from the opposite direction.

The policeman was reportedly negotiating a curve and hit the truck which crossed over from the opposite lane.

The truck, an Isuzu ten-wheeler with license plate numbers YCT-835, was driven by Gifford Pasalojan, 19, single, and a resident of Barangay Magdugo, Toledo City. He was on his way to Toledo City from Samboan.

The two were thrown into the pavement and were also run over by the truck. They died on the spot from severe head injuries.

Pasalojan surrendered to the responding police from Ronda Police Station. He is now detained while police prepare for the appropriate charges against him. —/BRP (FREEMAN)