Bastes had "direct involvement" in inmate's death

CEBU, Philippines - Former Fuente Police Station Chief Melvin Anthony Bastes reportedly had an active participation in the incident which led to the death of a detainee inside his station.

Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) Director Melvin Ramon Buenafe told reporters that Bastes ordered two of his men to bring Joven Tejano to their station on the day of the mauling.

 PO2 Eduardo Acop and PO1 Rey Pabroa, who were also relieved after the incident, stated in their affidavits that Bastes was the one who ordered them to take Tejano from his captors.

The two policemen claimed Bastes called them because the volunteer trackers who apprehended Tejano did not have any vehicle to transport their captive.

The chief of the Investigation and Detection Management Branch (IDMB), Inspector Bonifacio Garciano, said that Acop, Pabroa, PO3 Achilles Sanchez and PO2 Allan Vallejo insist on their claim that there was no “untoward incident” while they were on duty.

“Nag sigi lang gihapon sila og tud-tud, ang mi-duty og 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ug 4:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. puros lang walay untoward incident,” Garciano said. (They continue to wash their hands off the incident, saying nothing happened during their watch.)

The IDMB could no longer divulge more information regarding the investigation because the case is already at the office of the city director pending for submission to the regional office for pre-hearing.

The Police Regional Office will now take charge of investigating the death of Joven Tejano. If any of them is found guilty, administrative charges would be filed for their failure to follow police procedure.

 Tejano was found dead inside Fuente Police Station with contusions on various parts of his body inside the female detention cell after he was tagged in a robbery case.

Police tracker Pedro Tiañar Jr. was identified as the one who mauled Tejano inside the Fuente Police Station.

Tiañar’s fellow trackers have been trying to reach him since the death of Tejano, but he can no longer be reached or located. They suspect he is on the run. — THE FREEMAN